Agenda item - Chairs Communications

86.1      The Chair provided the following communications:

“Sadly this will be our last committee meeting of this Council term.

Over the past four years we have worked firstly through the cabinet system, then the separate Transport and Environment & Sustainability Committees, and now finally this combined committee.

It has been a busy time, for us all, in which we have worked hard and achieved an immense amount for the city across all aspects of the committees brief.

We have implemented 20mph making our roads safer and more welcoming for all road users. And we have invested and innovated in key sustainable transport corridors, winning top international awards.

We have rebuilt the deadly Seven Dials and Vogue Gyratory junctions as safe places for people to be.

Air quality has improved, in most areas, and with our low emission zone we are working in partnership with the buses and taxis to tackle the more stubborn problems.

Communal recycling now complements the communal waste service, making it easier to recycle, and the service redesign paves the way for further improvement.

We have extended parking zones at the request of residents and implemented parking management in two major parks.

I'm particularly proud of our transformation of the Level, and our work now with the National Park to restore and enhance historic Stanmer Park;

But above all I'm proud of our wider partnership work which has led to international recognition, of our special environment, as a UN Biosphere Reserve.

Out of the lime light officers from all our service areas are daily making great strides, and doing so despite the financial challenges we face:

for example our environmental health officers who continue to support improving food safety standards in restaurants;and our sustainability team who have supported the main-streaming of One Planet Living and the implementation of the city-wide Sustainability Action Plan.

I would like to lead in thanking all our officers for their skill and dedication, and for delivering so many proud achievements.

And I would like to lead our thanks of all partner organisations, communities and individual residents, for offering us their views, support as well as challenge along the way.

And finally I would like to pay tribute to the contribution and support of fellow members, from all three political parties, who despite our differences at times, have most often found agreement on what to do best for the city.

We know some members of the committee are standing down from the Council in May, so in particularly I would like to thank them for their great contribution and wish them well in the future.

And while not particularly wishing to single out any one member, I think it we should recognise the exceptional contribution of Councillor Ian Davey taking transport to another level in this city. Thank you Ian.

And to those of us who might be returning, there is of course plenty more to do for the city and I am very much looking forward to the opportunity of working together with you, and new colleagues, again after May”.