Agenda item

The Worshipful the Mayor spoke of the events in the Middle East and expressed her condolences for the loss of life, and her prayers for the survivors. She advised that she had sent a letter to her friend Carmel Shama, the Mayor of our twin town, Ramat Gan, expressing these sentiments to which she had received a response.

The Worshipful the Mayor committed to ensuring Barnet would always be a secure home for our Jewish communities and that we would defend our diverse borough and ensure that anyone affected by these events was cared for. 

The Worshipful the Mayor then invited tributes from Councillors Woodcock-Velleman and Mire.

The Worshipful the Mayor then asked the Council to stand for a minute’s silence to honour those who had tragically lost their lives.

The Worshipful the Mayor acknowledged the death of former Hale Ward Councillor Sheila Scott OBE who passed away in the USA where she had been living for the last two years. Sheila served as Deputy Conservative Group Leader from 1994 to 1998.

The Worshipful the Mayor also acknowledged the death of former Liberal Democrat councillor Sheila Gottsche who represented the Mill Hill Ward from 1994 up until 2002.

The Worshipful the Mayor then asked the Council to stand for a minute’s silence.

The Worshipful the Mayor informed that Silver Sunday had taken place on 1^st October 2023 with the event having been organised by Age UK and Cllr Sargeant at Middlesex University for the over 50’s. There were exercise sessions, music and dance performances, workshops, and health checks. The Worshipful the Mayor expressed her thanks to everyone who had helped make the event a success.

The Worshipful the Mayor informed members that it was Black History Month and noted that a flag was raised at the Town Hall by Past Mayor Agnes Slocombe – the first black Mayor in the London Borough of Barnet. Agnes served the borough as its first citizen in 1997.

The Worshipful the Mayor informed members of the visit to Le Raincy, France in September whereby Councillors Schneiderman and Hutton, and officers Yogita Popat and Sunita Trehan, presented the BarNET ZERO plans to the residents there. She also informed of photographic competition with residents of the borough and our twin town and would arrange a separate event to present the winning certificates to those who entered. The theme of the competition was ‘Lights and reflections in my city’.

The Worshipful the Mayor informed that she had just returned from a twinning visit to Cyprus to attend the Morphou rally, an annual event to show support to safeguard a solution to protect the rights of Greek and Turkish Cypriots to enjoy peace of a reunited Cyprus. She reported that Councillor Tony Vourou had attended to represented the Leader.

The Worshipful the Mayor informed that on Thursday 26^th October the London Borough of Barnet would be presented with the Defence Employer Recognition Scheme Gold Award at a ceremony being held at the Royal Air Force Club in Piccadilly.

The Worshipful the Mayor reminded members of Remembrance Sunday Services being held across the borough on Sunday 12^th November. She expressed her thanks the Councillors who have been asked to lay a Civic wreath on behalf of her, Councillors and Burgesses of the London Borough of Barnet. She encouraged all councillors to attend a service in their wards as we remember the sacrifices made by our servicemen and women in both World Wars and conflicts across the world and noted that a poppy wreath has been sent to twin towns, Chaville and Le Raincy in France on behalf of the Borough.

The Worshipful the Mayor also reminded members of Holocaust Memorial commemorations in January 2024 with the theme being Fragility of Freedom. The London Borough of Barnet Holocaust Memorial Day Commemoration would take place at Middlesex University on Sunday 28^th January 2024 at 2pm.

The Worshipful the Mayor expressed her congratulations to the Ark Pioneer Academy who had recently been awarded an Outstanding rating by Ofsted in every category which is a remarkable achievement for the school as they only opened in 2019.