To consider Announcements under Procedure Rule 10:
a) Mayor’s Announcements
b) Leader’s Announcements
c) Chief Executive’s Announcements.
(Oral report)
Minutes:
a) Mayor
The Mayor’s communications and announcements were as follows:
i) Mayoral Functions
The Mayor advised that, since the last meeting of the Council, he had attended a number of engagements, including the Mayor of Evesham’s Monks’ Supper, the Bandstand musical event, the Mayor of Bewdley’s Charity Dinner, the NEW College Graduation Ceremony, a Murder Mystery evening at Forge Mill, a musical spectacular at Redditch Arts Centre, a visit to a resident of Terryspring Court on the occasion of their 100th birthday and visits to most of the Council’s Sure Start Children’s Centres.
ii) Forthcoming Engagements
The Mayor advised that forthcoming engagements included a Rotary Club meal at the Foxlydiate Hotel, the Mayor of Worcester’s charity dinner, the annual Firework Display at Arrow Valley Park, the University of Worcester Awards Ceremony, 12th Anniversary celebrations at Terryspring Court, the League of Friends of the Alex Hospital AGM, Redditch Operatic Society’s production of Summer Holiday and the Remembrance Day Parade.
b) Leader’s Announcements
The Leader’s announcements were as follows:
i) Keralan Indian Association
The Leader introduced to the Council three representatives of the Keralan Indian Association, a new local body established by members of that community, who were in attendance at the meeting.
ii) Olympics / Paralympics 2012
The Leader of the Council was delighted to introduce three individuals with local connections who had played a part in the London Olympics and Paralympics 2012.
Katrina Harte shared with the meeting her experiences of competing at the London Paralympics and showed off the Bronze Medal that she had won as part of the Women’s 4x100 Metres Relay team. Katrina had not quite achieved the success that she had hoped for in the individual sprint events but was justifiably delighted at her performance in the Relay.
Glenn Scott, a former student of Kingsley College, was unfortunate to not get the chance to compete in the London Paralympics but was able to speak about the wonderful experience of being an Olympic Torch bearer in the run up to the Games and of his hopes to be a part of the squad for the 2016 Paralympic Games in Rio de Janeiro.
A local resident, Mumtaz Shah, told the meeting about his experience as a Games Maker and having the opportunity to be present at the Olympics Volleyball tournament. He commented that the experience had been two of the best weeks of his life.
iii) Helen Gregory
The Leader was very sad to have to report the death following a short illness of Helen, the wife of Ian Gregory, the Council’s Bereavement Services Manager. The Leader led the Council in expressing his sincere condolences to Ian at this difficult time.
iv) Bandstand Festival
The Leader spoke of the success of the Bandstand Festival held several weeks earlier on Church Green and his desire that the event should be repeated in years to come.
v) Alexandra Hospital
Following the sending of a letter to the Minister for Health, the recent Ministerial changes had altered plans for a meeting with representatives of Redditch Borough and Bromsgrove and Stratford on Avon District Councils. The intention now was for a meeting to take place between the Council representatives, the local MP and Dr Dan Poulter, Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Health, on 13th November.
vi) Midlands BMX Championships
The Leader reported on the success of the Midlands BMX Championships which had been held at the Redditch BMX track the previous weekend. Steve Rooke and his colleagues at the track were congratulated on the event which had attracted around 500 competitors.
vii) Britain in Bloom
It was reported that Redditch had received a Gold Medal in the Small Cities category of the annual Britain in Bloom competition 2012.
viii) Audit and Governance Committee
The Council was advised that Councillor Alan Mason was to replace Councillor Mark Shurmer on the Audit and Governance Committee with immediate effect.