Decision - MAYOR'S COMMUNICATIONS

Decision details

MAYOR'S COMMUNICATIONS

Decision Maker: Council

Decision status: For Determination

Is Key decision?: No

Is subject to call in?: No

Decision:

The Mayor wished his predecessor, Councillor Simon Speller, an early happy birthday, as he would be turning 70 on 16 July 2020.  Members joined the Mayor in sending Councillor Speller birthday wishes.

 

The Mayor advised that 2020 was the 125th anniversary of an elected Council in Stevenage, a milestone which he felt should be recognised.

 

The Mayor stated that many events had been cancelled and fundraising opportunities lost as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic.  Nevertheless, he, the Mayoress and Deputy Mayor had been involved in a number of activities (many of them virtual) since commencing his term of office, including:

 

·        Checking one of the Stevenage Cycling Festival routes – he hoped that it would be possible to hold some form of festival in August, even if virtually;

·        Helping with the launch of the Stevenage Museum’s 100 Favourite Objects project;

·        Joining the Youth Mayor and Portfolio Holder for Children, Young People, Leisure & Culture for the appearance of the Stevenage Day banner in King George V Playing Fields, in order to publicise the virtual Stevenage Day;

·        Supporting Bike Week (6 - 14 June 2020) – 85 local people had cycled (virtually) from Stevenage to San Francisco;

·        Supporting the Black Lives Matter event on 7 June 2020;

·        One of many lining the streets at the funeral of Bill Pilgrim, a well-known local activist who had been a trustee of the Stevenage Irish Network, Vice-Chair of Age Concern, and involved in numerous other local activities.  The Mayor also paid tribute to Alan Millard, a former Chairman of North Hertfordshire District Council and long-time photographer for the Comet newspaper, who had also passed away recently;

·        Helping out with a fundraising event at Stevenage Haven;

·        Visiting the Indoor Market to give the stallholders a boost;

·        Marking the 72nd anniversary of the National Health Service;

·        Attending a photo call for the reopening of outdoor gyms and play areas;

·        Visiting the SG1 Radio station to witness a Stevenage resident break the indoor World Record time for an Iron Man Challenge;

·        Dropping in digitally on a Sport Stevenage Briefing and the Stevenage Sporting Futures Awards presentation; and

·        Visiting the Feed Up, Warm Up project (a local food bank project).

 

The Mayor concluded by advising that his chosen charities for the year would be the Stevenage Community Trust, Haven First, and Sport Stevenage.

 

Publication date: 15/07/2020

Date of decision: 15/07/2020

Decided at meeting: 15/07/2020 - Council