(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 Mark Shayer (The Lord Mayor of Plymouth) made the following announcements:

a)    Reported with sadness the passing of the former Lord Mayor and former Labour Councillor, Alderman Michael Wright, who passed away on Saturday 28 October 2023.? Alderman Michael Wright served as a Councillor for 18 years and called for one minute of silence in remembrance.

b)    Reported with sadness the untimely death of Carol Blackburn (A.K.A Carol Toms) and called for one minute of silence in remembrance. Carol Blackburn was a past Councillor for the St Budeaux ward of the city and served on the Council between 2000-2006.

c)    Congratulated City College Plymouth. The institution had been awarded the prestigious Queen's Anniversary Prize; recognised as the highest national honour in the sector, the Queen’s Anniversary Prizes are part of the UK’s national Honours system, acknowledging the outstanding work of UK colleges and universities which show excellence, innovation and the delivery of real benefits to the wider world.  

d)    Congratulated apprentice Molly Blagden, who had been crowned Level 2 Autocare Apprentice of the Year by Exeter College.

e)    Congratulated Social Worker Charlie Mason who had won the Silver Award in the Team Leader of the Year, Adult Services category of Social Worker of the Year Awards award in recognition of her extraordinary practice and leadership. 

f)     Announced that The Platinum Parkway (Forder Valley Link Road) had been named ‘New Build Project of the Year’ in the ‘over £8m’ category of 2023’s Institute of Civil Engineering South-West Civil Engineering Awards, which recognised outstanding achievement, innovation, and ingenuity. 

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

g)    A letter had been received provisionally awarding £19 946 417 in ‘Levelling- Up “3” funding’. The funds would be allocated towards marine innovation, including “innovation barns” and “Ocean’s Gate” projects as well as the modernisation of port infrastructure at Millbay. This would include a move towards ‘shore power’ with the aim for the PCC to attain ‘net zero’ carbon emissions by 2026 instead of 2030. This money would need to be spent by 2026 and would enable greater access for jobs and raise the aspirations of young people to enter into marine employment.

h)    During the week commencing 12^th November 2023, a £7.5 Million bid had been won for Innovate UK’s “national innovation launchpad” through a partnership of Plymouth City Council, Plymouth University and the Freeport.   

i)     The Economic Development team, working with Plymouth University, had organised, and had successfully convened, the “FLOW Conference”- Plymouth’s first ever offshore floating wind conference on 30^th October. This builds on the work Plymouth City Council had conducting on the city’s port strategy to make Plymouth a centre for decarbonisation.

j)     The National Heritage Fund Lottery ‘round two visit’ had taken place during the week commencing 12^th November 2023. Further funds would be applied for in the future on the advice of the aforementioned Lottery.

k)    A deal with “Live Nation”, The UKs biggest outdoor live music promoter, had been brokered for a four-day music festival on the hoe in 2024. There is a strong potential this would be extended for four further years and then a subsequent five years.

l)     Destination Plymouth had produced the following statistics: “In 2023 we have so far reached a global audience of 2.5bn valued at an advertising value of £62m. This compares to 650m audience and £18m advertising value in 2022.”

m)  The Box has had 660,000 Visitors since its opening until a recent date, which was far ahead of target, as well as 11,000 during half term; a 20% increase on last year’s figures.

n)    The Box had hosted a summer programme celebrating Sir Joshua Reynolds which had included a new film by John Akomfrah as well as the return of Westward Television Mascot ‘Gus Honeybun’ accompanied by comedians Joshua Widdicombe and Nish Kumar. A public arts installation at the Civic Centre by Sir Ben Okri OBE had also been organised by Plymouth Culture and taken place.

Councillor Tom Briars-Delve (Cabinet Member for Environment and Climate Change) made the following announcements:

o)    A ‘Seasonal Update’ was given; Winter vegetation cutbacks had started earlier than usual. ‘Sweep vehicles’ had covered 10,346 miles since the start of September and 609 tonnes of swept waste, primarily leaves, had been removed from Streets and Highways. These would be Regularly attending the 41 flood spots most likely to flood and would be included in Highways updates in order to respond proactively to forecast heavy rain.

p)    Immanuel Marshall had been working to complete the second cohort of Carbon Literacy Training for Councillors. A third cohort of training was scheduled for the 11^th and 18^th of January 2024.

q)    PCC had planted over 6,000 trees during 2023 as part of the Plymouth and South Devon Community Forest project.

r)    Councillors had now been contacted regarding the 30 new tree planting schemes for Winter 2023/34. Over 350 ‘standards’, over 50 ‘Maidens’ and 3500 ‘Whips’ sized trees were intending to be planted.

Councillor Sue Dann (Cabinet Member for Customer Services, Sport, Leisure and HR & OD) made the following announcements:

s)     A ‘Cost of Living update’ was offered; whilst inflation had reduced the ‘Overall Cost of Living’ had not and the Councillor appreciated that many households were struggling.

t)     £4.5 million from the DWP had been distributed to low-income households and the Community Connections Team had been working with households and employers.

u)    ‘Warm Spaces Hubs’ had been launched the week commencing 12^th November 2023.

v)    Confirmed that the incumbent administration would be continuing to promote “Cost of Living hubs” across the City.

w)   Councillor Chris Penberthy (Cabinet Member for Housing, Cooperative Development and Communities) made the following announcement:

x)    Thanked Councillor Pauline Murphy and Babcock International for assistance with Remembrance Day commemorations, which had included a display of waterproof poppies outside the Council House.

Councillor Sally Haydon (Cabinet Member for Community Safety, Libraries, Cemeteries and Crematoria) made the following announcements:

y)    The “Donate a Coat” scheme would be in effect during winter 2023/2024 at Local Libraries.

z)    After having taken onboard recent feedback, the sale of stationary in libraries would now be in effect.

aa)  Announced the activities taking place as part of a ‘Plymouth Says Enough’ (combating violence against women) campaign including a march, the illumination of various buildings in the colour orange, which represents the organisation, the launch of a website offering help and support in reference to as well as further information available on the Plymouth City Council’s website.

Councillor Sarah Allen (Chair of Audit and Governance Committee) made the following announcement:

bb)Following next May’s local elections, the Local Government Boundary Commission for England would be conducting a review of Plymouth’s wards, ward boundaries and the number of Councillors comprising the City Council.

cc)  The Council had until June 2024 to inform the Local Government Boundary Commission for England if it intends to retain elections by thirds, which could affect Wards which currently had two rather than three elected members during the electoral review.

dd)Officers had met with colleagues from Southampton City Council on several occasions to learn from Southampton’s recent experience of an electoral review, and would draft proposals on electoral consultation arrangements for consideration by the Audit and Governance Committee to fit with the electoral review timetable.

Councillor Mary Aspinall (Cabinet Member for Health and Adult Social Care) made the following announcements:

ee)The National Safeguarding Adult Week would be running during the 20^th to the 26^th November 2023, the aim would be to highlight key safeguarding issues, hold informative conversations and to raise awareness of adult safeguarding issues around the City. During this week representatives from the council, adults safeguarding teams and adult safeguarding partnerships would be spending time in several of the city’s health and well-being hubs raising awareness, listening to people’s experiences and sign posting residents to assistance programmes.

ff)    Several pharmacy closures had been causing stress and worry for residents. The Councillor had been in conversation with Devon Local Pharmaceutical Committee regarding the situation and concerns. The Health and Wellbeing Board had completed a pharmacy needs assessment in 2022, however the closures would impact that report. The Councillor had discussed the situation with the chair of Health and Adults Social Care Scrutiny and confirmed that the committee had considered initial reports on the 13^th December 2023 which would be fed into the January 2024 Health and Wellbeing Board. Cllr Aspinall asked to be kept informed of any further closures and their impact on Councillors’ wards and would update Council as soon as she would able.

Councillor Aspinall left the meeting at 14.56.