The Audit, Governance and Standards (Civic Awards) Sub-Committee met on Monday 4 March 2024 to discuss and amend the rules governing the Civic Awards for future nomination processes. The committee also considered short-listed nominations for the 2024 Civic Awards, with decisions made in a closed session.

Civic Awards 2024 Rules Amendments

The sub-committee resolved to amend the rules governing nominations for civic awards for future nomination processes. These amendments include:

• Posthumous Nominations: Posthumous nominations will now be permitted, provided the nominee passed away within the 12 months preceding the sub-committee meeting where the decision is made, and their nominated work or project also took place within the same 12-month period.
• Organisational Awards and Individual Nominations: Going forward, once an organisation has received a civic award, no employee or volunteer from that organisation will be considered for an individual civic award while they remain associated with that organisation.

These changes aim to refine the eligibility and fairness of the Civic Awards scheme.

Civic Awards 2024 Nominations

The sub-committee considered the short-listed nominations for the 2024 Civic Awards. The report presented detailed information on eligible nominees, including a nomination for the Mayor's Discretionary Award. The committee resolved to exclude the press and public from this part of the meeting to allow for the consideration of nominations, as this involved the likely disclosure of exempt information. The decisions made regarding the specific awards are detailed in the closed minutes of the meeting.

During the open session, Councillor Graham Neale declared a personal and non-prejudicial interest in item 8, Civic Awards 2024: Nominations, as he knew one of the nominees personally. Pauline Nandoo declared a personal and prejudicial interest in the Southwark Stands Together awards and therefore did not participate in discussions related to them.

The meeting also approved the open minutes from the previous meeting held on 7 March 2023. The Civic Awards ceremony is scheduled to take place at Southwark Cathedral on Wednesday 22 May 2024. The awards scheme, initiated in 1997, recognises exceptional contributions to community life and has evolved to include categories such as the Liberty of the Old Metropolitan Boroughs, Young Citizen of the Year, Southwark Together Award, Climate Champion Award, and the Mayor's Discretionary Award. The new Climate Champion Award, established following a recommendation from the Council Assembly in July 2023, specifically recognises efforts in tackling the climate emergency and contributing to a more sustainable future.

The sub-committee was reminded of their responsibility to safeguard the non-political nature of the awards scheme and to ensure that nominations meet the published eligibility criteria. Financial and legal checks are undertaken on nominees to ensure there are no outstanding debts to the council.

The meeting concluded at 8:05 pm.