Agenda item

The Cabinet Member for Climate Emergency was delighted to put on record her congratulations to the climate team whose decision wheel is being nominated for a prestigious local government award.  She also congratulated xxxxx Alex Wells, who is leaving CBC for an exciting new job.

The Cabinet Member for Safety and Communities said it was great to have been present at the Climate Youth Survey Report this week, to hear what the young people are doing and saying.  She noted their surprise at being invited into what is their Council Chamber, and hoped that the work we have begun will continue over time to make sure that what is happening here is translatable to other places, not just in the UK but in Europe too.  She said the council is continuing to work with the Detached Youth Work Service – work the county should be doing but isn’t – and also congratulated Sam, a National Star College pupil, through whom there is the potential to redesign the national disability badge, to be reported and decided on in the course of next week.  A school elsewhere in the country is so delighted with what is being proposed that it is going to adopt it, and it is good to know that Cheltenham youngsters are changing potential for people elsewhere in the country.

The Cabinet Member for Housing noted the partnership work between CBH and Clare Seed of the Public Heart campaign, installing defibrillators which are accessible 24/7 – most recently at Hester’s Way Community Resource Centre and CBH Swindon Road office.  Further details can be found on Circuit website, but it is hoped that many more will be installed around the town.

The Cabinet Member for Economic Development, Culture, Tourism and Well-being,  thanked the team at the Holst Birthplace Museum for a recent tour, in anticipation for their celebration next year of 150 years since Holst’s birth – a key priority for the Culture Board.  He also reported that the 4^th Cheltenham Guides had visited the Chamber during Parliament Week, to learn more about the importance of local democracy, democracy and Parliament.  By a vote, animal rights was chosen as their topic of concern, and together they worked on a letter to send to Lord Benyon, minister with responsibility for animal rights.   They received a positive response and thanks and, as a result of their lobbying, specific questions on animal rights were subsequently raised in the House of Lords on behalf of Cheltenham’s 4^th Guides.  They are rightly pleased with themselves at this outcome, and delighted that their small voice could be used through the democratic system to lobby people at any level.  He thanked the guides, Lord Benyon, and Lord Shipley. 

The Cabinet Member for Cyber, Regeneration and Commercial Income said he and the Head of Communications for the Golden Valley Development recently gave a presentation at the University of Gloucestershire as part of National Apprentice Week.  It was well received by all present, and interesting to listen to the other speakers.  He noted that the Golden Valley Development is very much on the map and generating a lot of interest from outside the area.