Agenda item - Mayor's Communications.

13.1      The Mayor stated that she had hit the ground running since taking office in May and had already been to a number of interesting places and met hundreds of people.  She was looking forward to getting through full council meetings and productively and harmoniously as possible during the year and was keen to ensure that debates were managed within good time.

13.2      The Mayor then drew councillors’ attention to her first charity fundraiser which was to be a Caribbean night on the 1^st August.  She stated that there were a number of events planned for the year ahead and she hoped that councillors would support as many as possible.

13.3      The Mayor then stated that she wished to congratulate the Communications team on winning the Innovation in Communications category national MJ award, for the successful engagement and promotion of the crowdfunding campaign to raise £420,000 to restore three of the Madeira Terraces arches.  The campaign raised more than £460,000 in just four months last year and demonstrated people power beyond any doubt with 2095 separate backers pledging before the target was met and with more supporters wanting to donate after the deadline.  I would like to invite members of the Comms team to come forward along with Councillor Yates to accept the award.

13.4      The Mayor noted that the report concerning the City Environmental Management Modernisation Programme Update had been referred to the Council meeting from last week’s Policy, Resources & Growth Committee for information and was listed in the addendum papers as Item 22 (A) on pages 25-38.