Minutes:
MARK GROUP
In the light of the recently reported issues regarding the Mark Group the Lord Mayor asked the City Mayor to make a brief statement to Council.
The City Mayor reported with regret that the Mark Group which had a national and international reputation and an excellent record of high quality training and apprenticeships had gone into administration and noted that in response to the news the Council was working with partners including Job Centre Plus and through the Apprentice Hub to seek to find alternatives for the many staff and apprentices. The City Mayor also noted the impact of the change in government policy on the Mark Group and the support the local MP Liz Kendle was giving in raising the matter in Parliament and that he would also be writing to government to make them aware of the negative impacts of the decisions on efforts to combat climate change and on many people in Leicester.
HER MAJESTY THE QUEEN
The Lord Mayor noted that he had written to Her Majesty the Queen congratulating her on becoming the longest serving monarch on 9 September 2015 and noting the honour the City felt to be the first place visited on the Diamond Jubilee Tour in 2012. The Lord Mayor read out the letter sent and the reply received from Her Majesty’s Chief Clerk in which the Queens pleasure in being reminded of her visit to the City was noted together with her thanks for the kind thoughts and best wishes to the Lord Mayor and all concerned.
HOHENZOLLERN REDOUBT
In advance of Remembrance Sunday next month the Lord Mayor reminded Members of the centenary of the Battle of Hohenzollern Redoubt in the First World with October 13, 1915, the bloodiest day of the War for local soldiers. Over the course of a few hours 3,700 men from the 46th (North Midland) Division were killed or wounded with by the end of the day every officer from the 4th and 5th Battalion Leicesters killed or wounded.
The Lord Mayor noted that Flags would be flown at half-mast at Leicester Town Hall, City Hall and at Newarke Houses Museum. Leicester Cathedral, County Hall and Rutland County Council's offices will also fly flags at half-mast, with businesses across the city and county invited to do the same.
LORD MAYOR’S APPEAL
The Lord Mayor noted that his theme for the year was the mental health and wellbeing of children and young people and stated that he was supporting the two main charities working in this field, The Spark Arts for Children and Place2Be.
For over 14 years The Spark Arts for Children had been committed to offering accessible, high quality and inspirational arts experiences to children from 0-13 years from all backgrounds and their families. The aim of the work with the charity was to inspire, build confidence, self-esteem and resilience of participating children through performance poet Joe Coelho who will work with young people to create and perform their own poems and write a new poem for Leicester.
Place2Be were new to Leicester and provided emotional and therapeutic support in primary and secondary schools, helping children to cope with wide-ranging and complex social issues that often lie behind challenging behaviour and educational underperformance - including bullying, bereavement, domestic violence, family breakdown, neglect and trauma. Place2Be’s work was proven to help troubled children become happier, better behaved and more effective learners. In turn, teachers were more able to focus on teaching, and parents felt better supported and able to engage with school life. All of which helped children to grow up with prospects rather than problems.
The Lord Mayor stated that a number of fundraising events had now been arranged with details available on the Council’s website. The events included a coffee morning arranged by Councillors Byrne and Alfonso to be held at the Tudor Centre on the 10 October which Members were encouraged to attend.
The Lord Mayor additionally noted that Ella Connelly had organised a cake sale on behalf of the Appeal before this meeting. At the invitation of the Lord Mayor, Ella informed Council that £102.50 had been raised. The Lord Mayor led the Council in thanking Ella for her hard work in aid of the appeal.
The Lord Mayor asked Council and the people of Leicester for continued support for the Appeal to make a difference to the lives of children and young people.
CHANGE IN BUSINESS
The Lord Mayor noted that item 6.3 on the agenda, ‘Call in of Executive Decision – Highfields Community Association’ would not now be considered at the meeting following withdrawal of the call in’.
EVACUATION PROCEDURE
The Lord Mayor referred Members to the details of the Fire & Emergency Evacuation Procedure given on the script and in notices in the Chamber. Members were asked to refer any questions or queries to the Town Hall staff present at the meeting.