To consider Announcements under Procedure Rule 10:
a) Mayor’s Announcements
b) The Leader’s Announcements
c) Chief Executive’s Announcements.
(Oral report)
Minutes:
a) The Mayor
The Mayor advised that he had attended a number of events over the Christmas period, which had included:
· carol concerts at Winyates, Woodrow and Churches Together in Redditch;
· a Stourport Choral Society 1960’s and 1970’s themed event;
· Matchborough Luncheon Club;
· the Council’s Christmas Lights Switch On;
· the Mayor’s first ever Bake Off competition; and
· the Mayor’s Christmas Quiz.
The Mayor had also attended the town’s Holocaust Memorial Day event the previous Saturday, and expressed his thanks to Councillor Wheeler for standing in for him at the unveiling of the Spring Sculpture in Walter Stranz Square earlier in the month.
b) The Leader
The Leader reiterated the Mayor’s comments in respect of a number of local community events which they had both attended.
The Redditch Holocaust Memorial Day on 28th January had been a very moving day, with the Leader expressing his thanks to the Kerala Cultural Association Redditch (KCAR), the Redditch Polish Youth School, Astwood Bank First School and the Redditch Community Gospel Choir for their involvement with this.
He and several other Members had attended various additional celebrations including ‘Yule by the School’ in Batchley, Church Hill Christmas Fayre, the town Carol Service at St Stephen’s Church, the Redditch Polish Saturday Youth School children’s St Nicholas party and the KCAR Christmas and New Year celebrations. Other events had included the opening of the new dance studios at the Abbey Stadium and Polish WOSP Children’s Charity event held at the Railway Inn which had raised almost £5,000.
Councillor Hartnett made reference to various other matters/events which he had been involved with in his capacity as Leader, which included:
· the ‘#LeadersSayNo’ project as part of the 16-day White Ribbon Campaign to end domestic violence against women by men. The Leader had posted a short video on Twitter for this during the first weekend of the Campaign. Other Members had made similar videos and around 8000 pledges nationally had been made during the first day of the Campaign;
· a Polish post-Brexit meeting involving a question and answer session which had taken place with Polish Embassy officials at the Polish Club in Redditch on 10th December;
· the Health Commission meetings which had taken place on 12th, 14th and 19th January. The meetings had been attended by approximately 100 people over the 3 days and the Commission’s findings would be reported to special meetings of the Executive and full Council on 2nd March, in advance of the Council submitting its response to the three Worcestershire Clinical Commissioning Groups;
· the Save the Alex Campaign Group had now disbanded, although there would still be some online activity for information only. Thanks were expressed to Neal Stote for 11 his years of campaigning as Chair of the Group;
· the Mayor and Leader had written to the Mayor of Berlin and the Polish Embassy following the tragic events at the Christmas Market in Berlin. A reply had been received from the Polish Embassy in London thanking the Council for its good wishes and letter;
· Whilst not confirmed at this stage, it was highly likely that the bike race would take place in the town in May;
· following an invitation from the Mental Health Commissioner and discussions with Officers, the Leader had signed up to the West Midlands Mental Health Commission Concordat; and
· the sad passing of Reverend Mike Herbert in December was noted. The Leader had sent a letter of condolence to Reverend Herbert’s widow Elizabeth and daughter Anne Griffin and some Members had attended Reverend Herbert’s funeral.