Agenda item - Mayor's Communications.

39.1      The Mayor had the following communications:

Firstly, on behalf of the Council, I would like to recognise the service given by Dr. David Horne who has been one of the two Independent Members serving on the Audit & Standards Committee and has now chosen to stand down from his role. I know that the Monitoring Officer is highly appreciative of Dr. Horne’s support and dedication to the role on the committee and that he will be missed.

I would therefore like to present this certificate to Dr. Horne as a mark of the Council’s appreciation and gratitude.

39.2      Dr. Horne thanked the Mayor and stated that it had been a huge honour to have served on the committee for the last eight years and to work with councillors and officers during that time. He recognised that the council would face many difficult decisions in the future, and he wished councillors and officers well.

39.3      The Mayor thanked Dr. Horne and stated that he wanted to inform the council that having taken advice and being mindful of the current situation; the Acts of Remembrance across the city are being curtailed with minimum attendance due to Covid-19. A ceremony with reduced numbers will take place at Brighton War Memorial, but there will be no parade, no road closures, no parking suspensions and only 4 wreaths will be laid by;

·      The Lord Lieutenant on behalf of Her Majesty the Queen

·      The Mayor on behalf of the City and its citizens

·      The Chair of the RBL on behalf of the armed services

·      Lt Commander Allcock will lay a communal wreath with the names of service organisations and individuals who would normally be called up to lay a wreath.

39.4      The Mayor noted that there were upcoming Charity events subject to Covid 19 restrictions which included:

·      The Mayor’s virtual Charity Quiz is taking place on the 28 October at 19:00 via Zoom;

·      A Miracle on 34^th Street at All Saints Church, which will be a socially distanced film evening and;

·      Actually Gay Men’s Choir at All Saints on the 8 December, for socially distanced Christmas carols.

39.5      He hoped that councillors and others would join him at these events and noted that all proceeds would go to his charities. He asked that everyone to encourage friends and family to buy tickets too. Further information would be sent once the tickets went on sale for the events at All Saints and your support will be much appreciated.

39.6      The Mayor also noted that he had been informed of the Green and Labour Groups wished to composite the two amendments that had been circulated with the addendum papers and related to Item 51, a Notice of Motion on the Urban Fringe. The revised amendment would be circulated in due course but in the meantime, he asked that Council agree to the two amendments being revised into one amendment for consideration later in the meeting.

39.7      The Mayor noted that the Council was happy to accept a revised amendment for Item 51.