Agenda item

(a)          The Mayor’s communications and announcements were as follows:

i)          Craig Prentice-Underwood

The Mayor informed the Council of the very sad death before Christmas of Craig Prentice-Underwood. Members were reminded that Craig’s parents, Robert and Margaret, had founded and been tireless campaigners for the Redditch Heart Safe Charity following the death of their daughter, Charlotte, three years previously. A letter of condolence had been sent to the family in response to this tragic loss.

ii)         Special Council – 10^th March 2013

The Mayor formally advised the Council of the intention to call a special meeting of the Council on Monday 10^th March 2014 at which consideration would be given to the conferring of the Freedom of the Borough upon 37 Signal Regiment which was based in the town.

iii)        Mayoral Functions

The Mayor advised that since the last meeting of the Council she and the Deputy Mayor had attended a number of engagements including a visit to the Alexandra Hospital on Christmas Day, a skittles evening with Redditch One World Link, the opening of a new Specsavers store, a Wassail event at Headless Cross Orchard, a Special Olympics event in Bromsgrove, a Black Country Night, also in Bromsgrove, the Holocaust Memorial Day Event in the Town Centre and a Redditch Special Olympics Awards Ceremony the previous weekend.

iv)        Forthcoming Events

The Mayor advised that forthcoming events included a Charity Ball in Kidderminster, a Race Night in Evesham, an Inner Wheel Club Lunch at the Golf Club, a Mayoral Quiz at Stourport-on-Severn, the Fly a Flag for the Commonwealth Event at the Town Hall, a performance of The Merry Widow at the Palace Theatre and a sponsored climb of Ben Nevis by herself and Councillor Joe Baker.

(b)       The Leader’s Announcements were as follows:

i)          Special Olympics Awards Ceremony

The Leader advised that he had attended a very enjoyable Special Olympics Awards evening the previous weekend at the Town Hall.

ii)         Holocaust Memorial Event

On the preceding Saturday the Leader had attended the Holocaust Memorial Event and reported that it had been a very moving event, a highlight of which had been an address by Eva Clarke, the third Holocaust survivor to have addressed the Redditch event over the years.

iii)        Meadow Hill Road House Fire

The Leader advised the Council of his wish to recognise Mr Naheem Akhtar for his heroism in helping his neighbours to escape from a recent house fire on Meadow Hill Road.

iv)        Save the Alex Campaign

The Leader advised the Council that the Save the Alex campaign had achieved a tremendous success in helping to retain Accident and Emergency Services at the Alexandra Hospital, although this was tempered by the uncertain future for a number of other key services, such as a consultant-led Maternity Service. The Leader placed on record his gratitude to the Chief Executive, Kevin Dicks, and his Personal Assistant, Susan Tasker, for their work in helping to coordinate efforts to protect hospital services and also to the Save the Alex Campaign Group.

Councillor Carole Gandy added her thanks to those of the Leader and included a number of additional individuals who had helped the cause, including other local Council Leaders, the local MP and the Chair of the local Clinical Commissioning Group.

Mr Neale Stote was invited to address the Council on behalf of the Save the Alex Campaign. Whilst the Group was pleased at the recent good news, there was concern over the effect on the Birmingham Women’s Hospital and the Worcester Royal Infirmary of proposed maternity changes. Given that there was still considered to be a risk of down-grading services at the Alex, the Group was committed to continue fighting to retain the current status of the Hospital and its services.