Agenda item
Mayor's Announcements (including any petitions received)
To receive announcements from the Mayor.
Minutes:
The Mayor made the following announcements:
(i) The Mayor wished everyone a Happy New Year and good health for 2017.
(ii) The Mayor announced that he had just returned from an extremely enjoyable, busy and informative private visit to Bangladesh. He said he had been honoured to be able to meet the President and Prime Minister and had been humbled by the reception he received. The Mayor said that he had met with the speaker of the House of Parliament, the Foreign, Law and Information Ministers and the Dhaka and Sylhet City Corporation Mayors, the British High Commissioner in Bangladesh, the Federation of Chamber of Commerce, the Dhaka Chamber of Commerce, the Sylhet Chamber of Commerce, Mowlobi bazar Chamber of commerce and he also attended an international Rotary and Lions association reception. He went on to say that he had also met with the Inspector General of Police for Bangladesh given the importance of security and improving safety and that he had spoken at a seminar organised by the Centre for Non-Resident Bangladeshis on how Britain and Bangladesh could work together post Brexit. The Mayor said that they had discussed the issue of nationality for Bangladeshis living abroad and that he had extended an invitation to the Prime Minister of Bangladesh to visit Brent. In conclusion, the Mayor said that Tulip Siddiq had been present for his meeting with the Prime Minister and that he had taken the opportunity to visit his primary school and to see family there.
(iii) The Mayor expressed his sincere thanks to his Deputy Mayor, Councillor Chohan, who had covered his engagements whilst he had been away.
(iv) The Mayor extended his thanks to all those Members and Officers who had attended his Christmas fundraising event on 15 December. He said that it had been an extremely enjoyable evening and a substantial amount of money had been raised for his chosen charities. The Mayor said he was very grateful for the continued support he received.
(v) The Mayor reminded Council of the Brent Holocaust and Genocide Memorial that was to be held in the Civic Centre on Thursday 26 January 2017 at 6.45pm. This, he said, would be an opportunity to remember those who had lost their lives during the Holocaust and those who had been affected by genocide all over the world. The event, he said, was to be a non-faith event which would be open to all to attend.
(vi) The Mayor announced that the Council would be celebrating the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender (LGBT) History Month on 28 February 2017. He said that the “Pride NOT Prejudice” event would focus on LGBT history, the celebration and recognition of LGBT people and culture past and present. He encouraged Members to attend the event at the Civic Centre from 6pm to 8pm for an opportunity to engage with colleagues, residents and partners and said that further details about the event, together with full registration details, would be included within the Members’ Bulletin.
(vii) It was with sadness that the Mayor announced the passing of Kathy Bardoo, a former Mayor’s PA and who would have been known to many of those present at the meeting. He said that her funeral had taken place last week and the Council offered its condolences to her husband Lawrence, daughter Juliette and the Bardoo family. The Mayor was delighted that so many former Mayors, Councillors and staff had been able to attend the ceremony.
(viii) The Mayor announced that he had attended the London New Year’s Day Parade and had been very proud of St Michael’s Steel Band who had taken part on behalf of the Mayor’s Office. He said that it had been a wonderful day, despite the weather, and it had been great to see so many visitors to London enjoy the day.
(ix) The Mayor announced that, since the last meeting of Council, the Country had sadly lost one of its finest singers and songwriters, George Michael, who had sadly passed away on Christmas Day. The Mayor said that George had attended Kingsbury High School, in Brent, until his early teens and that his death had been a huge shock and represented a huge loss to the music and entertainment industry.
The Mayor went on to say that George had continued his association with Brent and had a long association with Wembley, playing Live Aid in 1985, Wham's farewell concert in 1986, the Nelson Mandela concert in 1988, the Freddie Mercury tribute concert in 1992 and the NetAid anti-poverty concert in 1999.
George, he said, had also been the first artist to perform at the new Wembley stadium as part his European tour in 2007 and would be sadly missed by many.
(x) The Mayor announced that, in accordance with Standing Orders, a list of current petitions showing progress on dealing with them had been circulated around the Chamber.