To consider Announcements under Procedure Rule 10:
a) Mayor’s Announcements
b) Leader’s Announcements
c) Chief Executive’s Announcements.
(Oral report)
Minutes:
a) The Mayor
i) Former Councillor Ray Beech
The Mayor announced the recent death of former Councillor Ray Beech and led the Council in paying a tribute to him in a minute’s silence. It was reported that the Mayor and the Leader had written to Mr Beech’s family on behalf of the family to express their condolences. The flag at the town had been flown at half-mast as a mark of respect.
ii) Redditch One World Link (ROWL)
Representatives of ROWL were invited to present a banner which celebrated migration into Redditch since the Nineteenth Century. ROWL had started to review migration into the Borough in 2014 when this had been the subject of a seminar. The banner tracked the timeline of migration flows over the previous 100 year period and helped to demonstrate that Redditch was a cosmopolitan, multi-faith town. To celebrate the diversity of the local population ROWL intended to share their findings with local schools.
iii) Fundraising for Leukaemia
The Mayor advised that two students from Our Lady of Mount Carmel Catholic First School Academy had raised over £700 for charity by producing and organising a display of artwork. She congratulated them on their hard work and commended their initiative.
b) The Leader
Councillor Hartnett explained that he had attended a number of events and undertaken certain work in his capacity as Leader of the Council and highlighted the following:
· The Leader led tributes to the former Leader of Sandwell Metropolitan Borough Council, Darren Cooper, who had unexpectedly passed away over the Easter period. Members were advised that the Mayor and Leader had written to his family on behalf of the Council to express their condolences.
· The flag at the Town Hall had flown at half-mast recently to commemorate the victims of the bombing attacks at Zaventem Airport and a metro station in Brussels, Belgium.
· Members were advised that plans for the resettlement of Syrian refugees were being considered and there was an intention to appoint a non-governmental organisation to undertake preparatory work and to support the families on their arrival.
· The Leader had attended a number of meetings of the Worcestershire Leaders’ Board, the West Midlands Leaders’ Board and the West Midlands Combined Authority.
· Councillor Hartnett had also attended a meeting about The Midlands Engine, a Government investment vehicle involving relevant local partners including Local Enterprise Partnerships (LEPs) and local government. Members were advised that district Councils would not have a representative on this body.
· Alongside other Members the Leader had participated in various local Clean for the Queen tidying initiatives in areas such as Matchborough and Batchley.
· The Leader had attended the LGB&T History event at Redditch Palace Theatre at the start of March.
· In March Councillor Hartnett had attended the No Barriers Awards which had celebrated the exceptional achievements of groups and individuals who supported people with disabilities. Councillor Anita Clayton was commended for her hard work on this event.
· Members were advised that the second Redditch Faith Walk would be taking place on 17th April. Participants would be leaving St Stephen’s Church and walking to the Masjid Noor.