(a)

reported that the Special Olympics (for people with special needs) were held in Bath and Bristol this year.  For the first time Plymouth was represented by 30 athletes who achieved 13 medals including four gold medals.  The Lord Mayor congratulated them all for being true ambassadors for the City of Plymouth;

(b)

announced that the Plymouth Life Centre, had been awarded a number of high profile awards -

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‘Commercial Project of the Year with a value over £3million’ at theMichelmores / Western Morning News Property Awards 2013;

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the title of ‘Best Community Building’ at the 2013 Local Authority Building Control (LABC), Building Excellence Awards South West;

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a nomination for a LABC national award, again in the category of ‘Best Community Building’, the winners to be announced in November 2013;

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sports and leisure facility ‘Major Project of the Year’ at the Institute of Civil Engineers South West awards ceremony.

The Lord Mayor presented the awards to Tony Hopwood (former Project Manager), Chris Randall (Strategic Finance Manager), Alwyn Thomas (Senior Commercial Lawyer) and Des Heath (Building Control Team Leader) who accepted them on behalf of all those who contributed towards the project.   

(c)

announced that Customer Services had for the fourth consecutive year been awarded the nationally recognised Customer Service Excellence Award with improved results. The award demonstrated that the service continued to put the customer at the centre of what they do by ensuring continuous improvement across all the areas measured.   

The Lord Mayor presented the certificate to Lynne Reed (service manager), Claire Edwards (team leader), Wayne Hepburn, Loretta Tucker and Gavin O’Riley (Customer Advisors) who accepted it on behalf of all those in customer services who were to be congratulated on their achievement.

(d)

reported that, as a result of major cuts in transport funding and in spite of a commitment by government to address under investment, the gap in spending between the south west and London and the UK as a whole, continued to increase.  He had raised the issue at the Board of the LEP and it was agreed to work collectively at board level to make representations to the government using all available channels;

(e)

read a letter he had sent to the Rt Hon Patrick McLoughlin (Secretary of State for Transport), which raised concerns with regard to the short term extension of the Great Western Rail Franchise which would now not deliver urgently needed improvements.  The poor and intermittent wi-fi connectivity and the lack of an early morning train from London to Plymouth were identified and he had asked for government assistance in the delivery of the improvements within the interim franchise arrangements.