(a)        To receive announcements from the Lord Mayor, Chief Executive, Service Director for Finance or Head of Legal Services;

(b)        To receive announcements from the Leader, Cabinet Members or Committee Chairs.

Councillor Tina Tuohy (The Lord Mayor) made the following announcements:

a)    The day marked Holocaust Memorial Day, 80 years since Soviet Forces liberated Auschwitz-Birkenau. A minute of silence was called to remember victims of the Holocaust and subsequent genocides in Bosnia, Cambodia, Rwanda, and Darfur; 

b)    Last Thursday, Claire Chick, a beloved lecturer at the University of Plymouth had her life taken from her.Claire was an energetic and beautiful soul who touched countless lives through her work in nursing education and her international contributions to healthcare teaching across Europe, Africa, and Asia. One minute of silencewas called to honour Claire's memory and reflect on the profound impact she had on so many lives; 

c)    At a recent ceremony, the Local Council Road Innovation group presented a special life-time achievementaward to Councillor Mark Coker. The Councillor had demonstrated unwavering dedication, leadership, and a relentless commitment to improving our community's infrastructure.

Councillor Evans OBE (Leader of the Council) made the following announcements:

d)    The Economic Development department had earned for the Authority and its residents: £28.5 million of earned income, £102 million of external grant funding, £280 million of capital investment and £18 million of foreign direct investment. £5.5 billion was in the investment pipeline with major investment into the City and the dockyard to come; 

e)    The next few months promised to bring the following £200 million of investments as well as milestones:

                      i.        Redevelopment of the Civic Centre and a new partnership with Homes England would kick-start housing development in the City Centre

                     ii.        £19.5 million Levelling-Up Funding would be used to unlock the City Centre Blue-Green Skills hub and latest phase of Oceansgate;

                    iii.        Net Zero ambitions would be fulfilled for Millbay with the provision of Shore Power;

                    iv.        A new Economic Strategy would be adopted with the Port Strategy and creative industries plan;

                     v.        The Tinside refurbishment would be completed;

                    vi.        Mount Batten centre redevelopment will have started;

                  vii.        The next phase of works would commence at Brickfields;

                 viii.        The one millionth visitor to The Box would be celebrated;

                   ix.        £25 million Freeport investment would commence;

f)     After a recent meeting of Cornwall Council on the 21 of January, they had resolved to confirm their full support for the content of a letter seeking greater autonomy and devolution for the County to continue to exist as an standalone political unit;  

g)    Due, in part, to the aforementioned positon of Cornwall Council, Plymouth were unable to submit an expression of interest in the priority programme which other parts of the country had been;

h)    Some moderate expansion of Plymouth’s boundaries would be required in order to attain the requisite additional population and tax base to provide sustainability in the long run.

Councillor Coker (Cabinet Member for Strategic Planning and Transport) made the following announcements:

i)     Non-commercial bus routes which were due to finish at the end of March 2025 would now continue for a new three year period;

j)     The number 200  ...  view the full minutes text for item 58