Agenda item - Mayor's Communications

76.1    The deputy mayor gave the following communications:

I would now like to ask Cllr Sankey as Leader for the Labour Group to introduce the new Member to the Council.

Cllr Sankey introduced Cllr Guilmant.

Cllr Guilmant entered the Chamber upon introduction and took their seat. The deputy mayor welcomed Cllr Guilmant to Brighton & Hove City Council.

On behalf of the Mayor, I will now read the Mayor’s Communications which have been prepared by the Mayor. 

“Dear councillors and members of the public, Apologies for my absence today for medical reasons. I wanted to begin by emphasising that respectful behaviour is required of all councillors at Full Council and indeed at all other council meetings.  I would thus emphasise the two most important ways of achieving such behaviour: 

1.        Everybody needs to speak through the Chair as this will help to discourage any inappropriate behaviours.  This applies to all council committee meetings. 

2.        Even where members have strong views about statements made during the debate they must never make personal comments. We can engage in robust debate but absolutely nothing personal.   

I hope that councillors understand the need for the above and behave accordingly. 

During January the main emphasis has been on young people once again with a visit to the Air Force cadets training at Preston Barracks and the Sussex University Graduation ceremonies.  The visit to the Air Force cadets was very uplifting as it’s so positive to see young people engaged in a wide array of training such as drill, simulated flight training and leadership training - and thoroughly enjoying themselves in the process.  

There was also a visit by Cllr Amanda Grimshaw, our Armed Forces Champion, and I to the Veteran’s Breakfast Club in Crawley and that was also most encouraging as there were a good number of veterans from all three branches of the Armed Forces who were all very much appreciating the chance to get together and had fascinating tales to tell me about their time in the military.  It is our aim to set up a similar Breakfast Club in Brighton as there is a pressing need for it. Most people don’t realise there are 5,000 veterans in Brighton and Hove.  All of this work and interest is part of the drive to gain Gold Status for Brighton and Hove regarding our work with veterans and the Armed Forces. The Sussex University Graduation ceremonies last week were exceptionally joyous and great fun as the Chancellor, Sanjeev Bhaskar, attended all of them and it is obvious that he is greatly loved and admired by the students as he is not only very funny, but is also hugely approachable. The Brighton University Graduation ceremonies are next week, and I am sure that they will be the same joyous occasions. It’s a great privilege as Mayor to be part of these important celebrations and to meet graduates and their families after the ceremonies and will be one of the abiding memories of my time as Mayor. There’s much to look forward to in the coming weeks as February is looking like a busy month.”