Cabinet members gave an update on work they had undertaken since the previous meeting.

Councillor Penberthy (Cabinet Member for Housing and Cooperative Development) provided updates on:

·         The award of the Silver Jubilee Cup for Crowdfund Plymouth – Plymouth City Council is the only Council to have won this more than once. Special thanks were extended to the Service Director for Strategic Planning and Infrastructure and the team for their efforts;

·         The waiting list and affordable housing - active management of the waiting list has continued and there has been a substantial drop in numbers on the list compared to a year ago. Thanks were extended to the People and Place directorates for their efforts.

Councillor Dann (Cabinet Member for Environment and Street Scene) provided updates on:

·         The successful bid of £622,000 for Future Parks Accelerator and the importance of managing our parks sustainably and collaboratively given their important role in improving the health and wellbeing of our communities;

·         The Great British Spring Clean campaign which saw 591 volunteers remove over 1079 bags of litter from our communities over the course of a month;

·         The recognition of Plymouth as a Plastic Free City – over 180 schools and community groups have signed up to be plastic free ambassadors. CATERed who provide school meals for 67 of Plymouth’s secondary schools have removed 8,000 plastic straws, removed disposable plastic packaging and moved over to biodegradable.

Councillor Taylor (Cabinet Member for Education, Transformation and Skills) provided updates on:

·         The investment in schools project which has just completed to expand to Yealmpton Farm Primary, expanding the number of pupil spaces;

·         Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths and continuing work to encourage more children and women into STEM. A summer programme of activities will take place in the city for 7-18 years olds.

Councillor Haydon (Cabinet Member for Customer Focus and Community Safety) provided updates on:

·         The Purple Flag status awarded to Plymouth, recognising it as a safe and welcoming city and the shortlisting for three further awards alongside this.

Councillor Smith (Deputy Leader) provided an update on:

·         The commemorative event to mark the 75^th anniversary of the D-Day Landings which took place on June 06 2019. Councillor Smith thanked the servicemen and women for their service to their country and extended thanks to council officers for the successful event.

Councillor Evans OBE (Leader) provided an update on:

·         The publication of the 100 Innovations by Labour in Power by the Local Government Association Labour Group. This compendium of innovative projects includes seven from Plymouth, including the Ethical Care Charter, Wellbeing Hubs, Modern Slavery and Holiday Hunger and Food Poverty. The Leader highlighted the opportunities offered by the LGA for member development.

·         Barden Corporation- this has been saved from threat of closure avoiding many job losses in the city. Particular thanks was expressed to the new owners of Barden for their commitment to growth in Plymouth, and to the Senior Director for Economic Development and the inward investment team in helping to secure this.

·         Drake Circus Leisure – there has been positive news from British land, including news that the Cosy Club will open a premises.

·         The current planning application and aspirations around Old Town Street. This is an exciting development and more detail will be available soon.

·         The conversion of Intercity House – this will be converted to the new home for the University of Plymouth Medical and Dental School