Agenda item - Chair's Communications

57.1      The Chair provided the following communications:

“The city’s first Rent Smart conference was held yesterday and I’d like to put on record my thanks to Councillor Hill and all involved in setting that up. It’s important to do all we can to improve things in the city’s private rental sector for the benefit of all.

Last week I attended the Federation of Small Business’s event in Ship Street to promote Small Business Saturday which is this weekend. I’d urge everyone to support a small or medium sized enterprise whether a street stall, high street shop or local supplier this Saturday. At the Small Business event, I heard about the ‘Tech-Takeback’ pop-up shop where all data and information is erased from used tech handed in before being given a new lease of life and re-used. The tech will be given to charities distribute, sold to people less able to afford new tech or if the equipment is beyond repair, dismantled for recycling. The shop is open at 13 Pavilion Buildings for another few days and four more pop-up shops will be run by the council, Freegle, SOENECS and EraseMyData.

I’ve signed the White Ribbon pledge as part of the annual 16 days of action against violence on women. The campaign asked everyone but especially men to take a personal pledge to never commit, condone or remain silent about male violence against women.

Swapping a white ribbon for a red one, tomorrow is World Aids Day and I will mark the day, along with others, in remembrance of those who have lost their lives.

We will be discussing Madeira Terraces later in the agenda but I do want at this point to highlight the incredible work of Jax Atkins and her team of volunteers who organised the raffle in support of the campaign, surely one of the largest in the city’s history. The raffle sold almost 16,000 tickets with over 650 prizes donated by artists, authors, businesses and many others from across the city, a true example of real community spirit, will and determination”.