Transcript

�� Please be seated. Thank you. All the bells are ringing today, aren't they? Good afternoon, all. You've been summoned to attend the annual meeting of the County Council of the City and County of Cardiff on Thursday 23rd of May 2024 for the purposes set out in the sevens. There is no planned fire execution so if the alarm does sound, it is not a test and Councillors are asked to follow the directions of staff and make their way out of the building where a roll call will be taken. The Council meeting is being filmed for our life subsequent broadcast on Council's website. In my term of office there's been many things that I've also attended a few funeral and two such funerals took place this week. I wanted to pay my tribute to former Councillor Monika Walsh. Born in Liverpool, Monika worked for Cardiff Council for more than three decades before first being elected for trial bridge and alting balance in 2004. A former deputy lady, Mayor S. Lady Mayor S. and deputy Lord Mayor. She was made Lord Mayor in 2016 so she's held all the Lord Mayor officers that you can possibly hold. While being treated for cancer herself she raised more than 100,000 for cancer research UK during her term of office as Lord Mayor. I also want to pay my tribute to former Councillor just one thing. Originally from Lahore, just one's family moved to Cardiff in 1954 having served as a social worker and a magistrate just was elected for Riverside Ward in 1995 and 2008 and was made Deputy Lord Mayor in 2008. Just campaigned to raise funds to open the Dasme Singh sada Gurdwara on Tudor Street. I'm now moving on to item one in the agenda. item one is to receive any apologies for absence. Apologies have been received from Councillor Wauheeda Abdul-Sathar, Owen Jones, Jacky Jones, Heather Joyce. Are there any other apologies to be noted? Councillor Lancaster. Lord Mayor apologies for Councillor Davis. Councillor Davis, thank you. I believe I saw the apologies noted. Moving on to item two. Item two is the election of chair and the Lord Mayor of the city and county of Cardiff for the municipal year 2024 to 25. I call on the leader of the council, Councillor Hugh Thomas to formally propose the nomination. Thank you. Colleagues, it gives me immense pleasure to formally propose my good friends, ward colleague, member for Splot and Tromorva, Councillor Jane Henshaw, chair of the council and Lord Mayor of Cardiff for the 2024/25 municipal year. Jane, many of this Chamber won't be aware of some of the difficult personal circumstances that you've been dealing with in recent weeks, a nasty virus that you're still struggling to overcome but more over the sad passing of your dear father less than a fortnight ago, that you are here at all tonight speaks to your resilient character and I'm sure I speak for all of us here in saying that you and your family have our deepest condolences as well as our hope that the sad backdrop doesn't unduly cloud a moment of huge prize. For those who don't know, Jane was born in Rackson and built her early career in education, putting her English and history degree to good use at a number of establishments including teaching women's history and assertiveness training at the workers' education association. She later retrained as an acupuncturist and since moving to Cardiff has built a successful small business providing acupuncture treatment, I'm sure she'll be more than happy to assist members when the stress of council meetings gets too much over the next 12 months. She was first elected to the council as a fellow councillor for this plot ward in 2017 and was re-elected in 2022 topping the poll that night. Tonight, of course, is confirmation. Yes, we're not bitter. But what I will say is tonight is most certainly confirmation as if it was ever in doubt. That plot is the political heart of Cardiff. Home to Cardiff for citizens, the leader of its council and not forgetting if you wanted to get anything built. So I would also like to speak to our other word colleague, Councillor Stubbs as chair of the planning committee. Just being elected in 2017, you've held a multitude of roles including as an assistant cabinet member focusing on allotments which speaks to your love of gardening and sitting on a number of committees including the policy review of performance and economy and culture scrutiny committees, the bullingville Cardiff Working Group and the Blumorgan Archives Joint Committee. Jane has also represented Cardiff Council on the book Council of Wales and continues to serve as a governor at Baden PowerPoint Primary School in Chamorveda. These roles speak to Jane's commitment and work ethic but also for her passion for tackling inequality and poverty. Something that I also see strongly reflected in her choice of charity which I'll let her introduce in a few minutes. Jane has of course received a good grounding for her new role after having undertaken the role of Deputy LORD MAYOR during the last year. I'm sure that the experience she has gained in the role including stepping in to chair part of Council meetings and attending a number of civic engagements will stand in good stead over the next 12 months. As will, I'm sure her teaching experience and I have no doubt that she will keep us equally all in line without fear or favour. I'm also pleased that Jane will continue to be supported by her daughter, Hannah, and Annie as her consort during the minimal year ahead. I know Jane will be immensely proud and honoured to be elected and installed as the new LORD MAYOR of Cardiff on behalf of both this Council and the people of Cardiff. Above all, I know that she will do a great job having earned the respect of everyone in this Chamber. I'm therefore delighted to nominate Jane for election to the position of chair of the Council and Cardiff's 119th LORD MAYOR to serve for the 2024-2025 Minutes of the Year. Thank you. I call on the leader of the Liberal Democrat Group, Councillor Rodney Berman, to formally second the nomination. Thank you Lord Mayor. It's my pleasure to second this Council. Councillor Thomas' nomination for Councillor Jane Henshaw as the city's first citizen for 2024-25 and of course chair of this Council. I don't need to hesitate in saying that it has been a pleasure to have known Jane since she was first elected onto this Council back in 2017. In the work on the committees which I've served alongside her, I've seen somebody who has been very passionate, very caring and she's always wanted to make sure that the Council makes a difference to people's lives. She's certainly been a strong advocate for the people that she represents and she's never shied away on scrutiny from asking the questions that matter even though her own side has been in charge of the Council. Now I understand that one of the issues which drew her to becoming involved in politics locally within her community was when she got involved in a campaign to save the old university building in Splot from redevelopment and whilst that campaign itself might have not ultimately been successful, it probably spurred her on to get more involved and to see collected office in order to be in a position to be able to fight on behalf of her local community. As Councillor Thomas said, she's had a good opportunity to get to know more about the role of being LORD MAYOR through serving as Deputy LORD MAYOR for the past 12 months and I'm sure that's given Jane a good understanding of what lies ahead and will enable her to hit the ground running when she takes up the new role. I know too that Jane can be firm when she wants to be so I'm sure that she will have no problem keeping us all in order in the Council Chamber. I'm sure we'll certainly test her but she can perhaps be safe in the knowledge that this Chamber perhaps gets a bit more combative in the run-up to an election and now we know that most of our time of office will be after the general election so maybe we'll give her slightly an easier time. I'm sure everyone will join me in wishing her all the very best for the coming year, the Air Hchever. Agreed. Members of the Council, the agreement is Councillor Joy Laxson. The Jane hand show is elected to the role of the right honourable, the LORD MAYOR of City and County of Cardiff for the year 2024 to 2025. [Applause]

Could the LORD MAYOR please sign the declaration of acceptance of office? It gives me great pleasure to invest the right honourable LORD MAYOR of the City and County of Cardiff Councillor Jane Henshall with the chain of office. [Applause] All right, I'm going to take the seat. It now gives me great pleasure. Sorry, sorry to the wrong place. I'm skipping ahead. [Applause] It now gives me great pleasure to invest the LORD MAYOR's concert and Hannah Danderson with her chain of office. [Applause] My immediate past LORD MAYOR, fellow Councillors, ladies and gentlemen, can I begin by saying how delighted and honoured I am to be elected Cardiff's 119th LORD MAYOR? I would like to thank my proposal, Councillor Hugh Thomas and seconder for their kind words. I would also like to thank my colleagues across the Chamber for putting their faith and trust in me. I would do my very best to carry out this role with integrity and enthusiasm. I relish the challenge of representing the citizens of Wales capital city, a dynamic city that looks to the future with optimism and energy. I will most certainly want to convey this to everyone I meet. I would like to say a special thank you to my family for their enduring support, to my partner Bill, to my children, my grandchildren and the one arriving anytime soon. In my role as Deputy LORD MAYOR, I fully appreciated the high expectations that come with a role for a citizen. I am confident that with support of my daughter and aarid, as my Lady Mayor, the Deputy LORD MAYOR and her consort my family, friends and colleagues, I will be truly well supported in my year of representing the citizens of Cardiff. I would also like to have my congratulations to Councillor Helen Lloyd Jones as she embarks on her year as Deputy LORD MAYOR for the City of Cardiff. I am delighted that Cardiff Food Bank will be my nominated charity for the year ahead. I look forward to working with the charity over the next year. I would ask you to show your support by attending the events which will be planned throughout the next year. Finally, on behalf of my Council colleagues, the people of Cardiff and those benefiting from your charitable work, my sincere thanks to Babylon and Monique for being superb ambassadors for our capital city. I am honoured to take up the position of LORD MAYOR of Cardiff, a position that Babylon has so successfully held for the past 12 months. Thank you. Item 3. Item 3 is the appointment of a Deputy Chair and Deputy LORD MAYOR for the year 2024-25. I call on the leader of the opposition, Councillor John Lancaster, to formally propose the nomination for Deputy LORD MAYOR. Thank you, LORD MAYOR. You have get used to hearing that, I think over the before coming year. It gives me great pleasure to nominate Councillor Lloyd Jones for Deputy LORD MAYOR. It has been a great pleasure to sit with Helen on the Environmental Scrutney Committee for these past couple of years. On the Scrutney Committee, her love of all things outdoors, he shines through as a past chair of the Ramblis-Kumrey, a council member for the countryside Council for Wales. I know we are also heavily involved in establishing the pilgrimage footpath, which runs from Vandaf Cathedral to Penrice in the Ronda. A little bird told me all about that one. I also know Helen is very keen on an activity known as running. As someone who once ran a bath, I can only imagine the dedication needed to run a half marathon. Although I do understand that one of your favourite half marathons was that one time when the good people of Routh did furnish you with cake and you were halfway round, so perhaps I better take it up after all. Helen's attention to detail on the Environmental Scrutney Committee perhaps comes from her background as a chartered engineer. I was really surprised to know that you qualified from Imperial College and also gained not one but two Master's degrees, which also shines through in your inquiries when we're on the committee. Her first job was working on shutdown systems for nuclear reactors, so no wonder she's so good at running. The family is important to Helen. With growing up children in various high flying positions, I know you're justifiably proud of them. Unfortunately they're not able to be here this evening, but I know you'll be ably supported and accompanied over the year by your husband's and Richard Lloyd Jones. I know Lady Helen is looking forward immensely to this forthcoming year and will provide admirable support to the Lord Mayor in whichever way she can, especially hoping to be involved with furthering her dreams of making Cardiff a national park city and once again your love of the outdoors shines through. I'm sure we all wish you all the best for this forthcoming year and I'm very pleased to nominate you. Thank you. I call on the leader of the polite Kamri Green Party, common grand group, Councillor Andrea Gibson, to formally second the nomination. Thank you, Lord Mayor. It's a pleasure actually to second this nomination of Councillor Helen Lloyd Jones. She's been now the Deputy Lord Mayor for 24-25. I believe Helen can claim to be the first Deputy Lord Mayor to run around Cardiff dressed as a dog. It was all for a very good cause and she raised a lot of money for a previous Lord Mayor's charity. It was without narration, I bring up the topic yet again of running. Because she ran of first marathon at quite a decent age I would say. I won't say what age and I can only say wow. I see Helen's running as an example of a strength of character and her determination to have run your first marathon at those years. Mr. Taker, a great deal of determination and great mental strength. Decided to run a marathon in your – I won't say it – demonstrates a courage of enthusiasm for life. Thinking outside the box as Helen often does, Helen demonstrated this further by not going by the book with her training. Helen had the courage to train her own way and it paid off. As a Councillor, I'm both a good community Councillor too. Helen uses all these attributes to work on the behalf of her residents in Radha and Morgenstown. Helen is proactive and energetic, never afraid to ask difficult questions and to speak up when needed. Her committee work is always approached with enthusiasm and true interest. It's a pleasure to sit on the environmental scrutiny committee with a we sat on looking at the replacement local development plan as well. I'm certain Helen will put all these attributes and enthusiasm and energy into the new role along with her sense of humour which is great. Helen will be with Deputy Lord May. Enjoy your talent. I wish you well. Is that agreed? Members of the council, the agreement is that Councillor Helen Lloyd-Jones be the Deputy LORD MAYOR of the City and County of Cardiff for the year 2024-2025. And could the Deputy LORD MAYOR sign the Declaration of Acceptance of Office? I now have pleasure investing the Deputy Lord Mayes, sorry, I now have pleasure investing the Deputy Lord with her chain of office. I now have pleasure investing the Deputy Lord Mayes, Consort Sir Richard Lloyd-Jones with his chain of office. Thank you. [Applause] I invite the leader of Clyde Kumri, Green Party, Common Ground Group. Councillor. I invite the immediate past LORD MAYOR, Councillor Babbel in Malick, to reply. I know that's right. Councillor HU Thomas, as leader of the council, will you lead the vote of thanks to the immediate past LORD MAYOR and present her with a consort and her consort with her badge of office. I will, LORD MAYOR, colleagues, I am delighted to lead the vote of thanks, on behalf of the council, to the outgoing and immediate past LORD MAYOR of Cardiff, Councillor Babbel in Malick. Can I say how much easier it is to do so in this Chamber when I'm not trying to turn around and look at the former LORD MAYOR and speak to you at the same time. As the first woman of colour and the first muslim to serve as LORD MAYOR of Cardiff, you will sooner to turn your phone off. [Laughter] You have genuinely represented this city and this council and its diversity during the past year with great pride, dignity and enthusiasm. I know you've been able to support it in the role by the outgoing Deputy LORD MAYOR who now has succeeded you. You have had a busy year in office which is included around 270 official engagements, I understand, such as citizenship ceremonies, tree planting ceremonies, charity fundraising events, royal salutes and school visits. I'm sure you have very much enjoyed meeting people of all ages from communities right across the city. You will probably have many personal highlights from your year in office including perhaps the visit of the Royal Highnesses, the Princeton Princess of Wales to Cardiff in October, as well as your visit. I was very disappointed to miss this personally, to Glasgow in July last year to see the new HMS Cardiff being built. I know too that you have done a great job raising important funds and raising awareness for your nominated charity, UConn Productions, which helps children and young adults with sight loss. As you yourself have acknowledged, it has been a challenge to fulfil your civic duties whilst also juggling your important other roles and responsibility as a chief executive of sight-commery and for representing the people of King Cawide and also of course bringing up your two daughters. But you have demonstrated that it can be done successfully and I want to pay tribute to you and also to your husband who has been your concert during the last 12 months, who have enjoyed many fruitful conversations about politics while you have been busy cutting ribbons. So thank you both for all your hard work and commitment to the office of Lord Mayor during the last year. On behalf of the council, we wish to extend our sincere thanks to you both to everything you have done in representing Cardiff during the last 12 months and it now gives me great pleasure to present you both with your badges of office. Thank you. [Applause] I invite the leader of the opposition, Councillor John Lancaster to speak. Thanks, Lord Mayor, yes, I joined the leader account of the Labour Party's tribute to our former outgoing Lord Mayor. I know this has been a here of immense pride for you and no little achievement. As the Councillor Thomas alluded to you, you're the -- I've been the first woman of humour and the first Muslim to represent the position and I know how much this meant to you and I bumped into you at quite early on in your tenure at Cardiff Mela down in the bay. The only person I knew down there fully and my disappointment at seeing somebody that I knew meant that I wouldn't be able to dance quite as it really is an issue, although having seen me dancing those around me wouldn't have been so disappointed. You got up on stage and you made a very impassioned speech about how important it was to represent your community and to be visible and an inspiration for, especially women, girls who might look to you for leadership and you gave a very heartfelt speech there. I know that has been an important theme of your year and I've also been able to raise an awful lot of money for your chosen chose, and I know that that will do an immense amount of good. The impact of your year will happen to you, with your applause. I invite the leader of the Liberal Democrat group, Councillor Robbie Berman to speak. Thank you, Lord Mayor. I know I speak for all my colleagues in the Liberal Democrat group when I say how proud we have been of Babylon and how she has conducted herself and all that she has accomplished in the last year as the city's Lord Mayor and I hope that I can speak on behalf of members across all parties in the chamber. She has certainly as Councillor Tom has alluded to broken some glass ceilings, becoming the first woman of colour and Muslim to be our first citizen. But not only that, you've carried out your role with absolutely distinction. I know that you've very much enjoyed your last year, even if it has been very full-on and you've sought to balance your role with out of a full-time work role, your role as a wife and mother, and your role as a very effective and well-regarded word Councillor. But despite the challenge of fitting it all in, we've seen that you have risen very much to the challenge, and also we've been so impressed at how you've been such a fantastic advocate for your chosen charity, U-Can Productions. The way you've championed the cause of the charity that many of us perhaps were honest hadn't actually heard of before you started your term of office, is nothing short of commendable. And I understand that thanks to your efforts the charity's finances are now in a much more stable footing than they perhaps were a year ago, and that's all thanks to you. And given that they do such important work, I think that's something you can be immensely proud of. As I did touch upon earlier, we know that the last year for you has been incredibly busy, but you've coped with it admirably, and we've been impressed with the fact that you've had continued enthusiasm throughout. So from our perspective, you've been an absolute stalwart, and as I say, you have undertaken your role with distinction. I'm sure that you'll have lots of great memories to look back upon for years to come. Lots of exciting things you've done representing the city. And I think we've all been impressed at how well Molik has been at your side, able supporting you as a concert. So thank you to Molik as well. I know you'll now be looking forward to a little bit of a break, maybe a chance to recover, but I might just be keeping you occupied a little bit over the next few weeks in another role. So don't rest up just yet. Can I just finish by offering you my heartfelt thanks on behalf of our group and on behalf of all the Chamber, the whole gallant. I invite the immediate past LORD MAYOR, Councillor Vablon Molik, to reply. Well, thank you. Thank you to the leaders that have spoken regarding me. It's been an absolute honour and a privilege to serve as the LORD MAYOR of KADI for the past 12 days. I found the role both challenging, as you've heard, and definitely more so fulfilling. During my time as LORD MAYOR, I've attended numerous memorable events and occasions met countless citizens with amazing stories. There are many occasions which I look back, which I will, of course, look back with fondness and pride, such as as the leader mentioned, the visit to HMS Cardiff, in building Glasgow, hunting our city's ability with HMS Dragon over to Rexham, presenting the LORD MAYOR's own scouts and guides with the special Mecca chiefs, congratulating City's Centennialies. On their milestone birthdays, meeting groups from our twin cities welcoming school children to a county hall where they've learnt about democratic process in importance of using their right to vote. I've also had the privilege, of course, as the leader had mentioned, to welcome royal family members in Cardiff, including Prince and Princess of Wales, Duke and Jeddys of Gloucester. I've met representatives from a wide variety of community groups, celebrated in their celebrations. I've met armed forces, received ambassadors from Armenia, Bangladesh, Italy, Kyrgyzstan, Portugal, Japan, Thailand, just to name a few. I've also enjoyed presiding over British citizenship, and I've mentioned this in this chamber many times. I met with citizens from across the globe. I've hosted medal presentation ceremonies for those recognised in the King's New Year honours list. One of the most memorable engagement, I would say, was my visit to Mr. Ronald Bridgenell. On his handed birthday, at his care home in West Sussex, to present him with a certificate of bravery and merit for saving Cardiff City Hall during World War II. 83 years ago, when he was just a teenager. Over the past year, Lord Mays nominated charity, UConn production, has benefited greatly from the support of members, local communities and members of the public. I'm pleased to announce that this year, fundraising totaling almost hitting 40,000. We have other fundraising activities that will take place over the summer period now, so that's not a concluded figure and hopefully this figure will be enhanced for UConn production. For me, supporting UConn wasn't about fundraising the LEMPSOM amount over this year. It was about giving them a platform, a recognition for the fantastic work they do. I was delighted to attend Arts Award ceremony for young people with sight loss from all sides of Cardiff a couple of weeks ago. This award ceremony came about with a joint effort from our curriculum, sensory and well-being teams, working with UConn productions. The pilot project was extremely successful and we saw the rewards being handed out. The work is life-changing for these young people and I hope this work is supported and continued in future. The donations that many of you and many people from diverse communities of Cardiff have helped raise along with the pilot project will hopefully go a long way in sustaining the future and the life-changing work that UConn productions do for young people of Cardiff. Thank you very much for your support. I want to give my thanks to the members' members for supporting me in this council chambers, numerous meetings. We've had some challenging, technically and otherwise meetings held. I want to give my thanks to Reverend Lisk and Amina Sheban, both of whom have supported me as my on re-chappling for this year. A great big thanks also goes to Paula and Crystal from the protocol office who managed the Lord mayoral diary of commitments, advised me and supported the Lord Mayor impeccably. A big thank you also to Richard and Mike, who chauffeured and supported Lord Mayor, to numerous occasions. I certainly will miss the jokes, stories and their company. All these people have certainly made me feel very special throughout the year and I thank them all greatly. In conclusion, I mustn't forget to thank my husband, of course, Consort, for his continued support throughout the year. I'm sure Molly will agree it's been an honour and a privilege. Maybe a little bit exhaustive at times, but we've both enjoyed the numerous engagements we've both attended together. I would also like to thank the at going deputy Lord Mayor and incoming Lord Mayor Jane Henschel and her consort, Annie, for the support over the last past year that I have gained from them and I want to wish them all the best for the year they have ahead of them. Have a wonderful, wonderful year both of you and enjoy it as your first citizen of Cardiff. My heartfelt thanks to all of you for your support to me as Lord Mayor of Cardiff, thank you, you're welcome. We will now take a short pause in the meeting, while guests head out that way, I think. We will now continue with the business of the annual meeting. Item four is declaration of interest. All members have a personal interest in item 14. Members from Numeration and Allowances 2024/25 and this will be noted in the minutes. Are there any other declarations of interest for this meeting? No? Okay. Moving on, item five. Other minutes of the meeting held on 28 March 2024, approved as a correct record subject to the amendments to minute numbers 1, 2, 9, 1, 3, 1, and 1, 3, 2, as outlined in the amendment sheet. Aye. Sorry, Councillor Laiennet. Okay. Item six is the Cardiff undertaking. Elected members are asked annually to reaffirm their commitment to the principles set out in the Cardiff undertaking. The monitoring officer has confirmed that although there is an exception that members will affirm the undertaking at the annual meeting, members cannot be compelled to do so. Members, please can you join me in reaffirming our commitment by saying aye. Please can you ensure that you also sign the hard cocky of the Cardiff undertaking? Item seven. Very rude, LORD MAYOR's announcements. As I stated earlier, I'm delighted that Cardiff U Bank will be my nominated charity for the year ahead. This wonderful charity helps them meet the needs of so many people across the city. I look forward to working with the charity over the next year. I would ask you to show your support by attending the events which we've been planned throughout the year. Item eight is Leith—oh, sorry. Following yesterday's announcement of the UK parliamentary election on 4 July 2024, the pre-election period will commence on the 3 June 2024. During this period, the Council must take special care to avoid any suggestion of using Council resources for political purposes or issuing publicity, which creates a political advantage or disadvantage for any candidate or political party to influence voters in the election. The monitoring officer will provide detailed pre-election guidance tomorrow. Item eight is leader's announcements. I invite the leader of the Council to speak. Please note that there is no opportunity for questions of the leader's announcement. Thank you, my LORD MAYOR. Can I begin by thanking colleagues for placing their trust in me to continue leading this authority in the year ahead? No one has a right to govern, and it is a privilege greatly appreciated and I will continue to do all that I can over the coming municipal year to deliver our policy agenda for this city, brilliantly supported, as always, by my Cabinet colleagues. To former Cabinet members pursuing new opportunities, can I thank them for their hard work and leadership over the past few years. Looking forward, I welcome the opportunity to work with our incoming Cabinet members and will broadly be part of such a talented, dedicated and diverse Labor group. This agenda item or a curious feature on the AGM has always been nonpartisan in nature, always a challenge, but one which became even harder at five o'clock last night. Can I take the opportunity here then to wish all members of this Chamber who are standing or may find out they are standing on to either fourth? May I give them my best wishes for an enjoyable campaign and all the very best of luck but perhaps some more luck to some of you than others. Whilst this Chamber is often a place for this agreement and debate, we are all here united by our desire to see the best for our city. When people up and down the country want help, it is to the local Councillors the invariably first turn, and when they turn to the local members in Cardiff, I know that each and every one of us shares a desire and a willingness to do our best for our constituents. I think we can all be proud of what this Council has achieved over the last year, focused on those policy priorities of being a stronger fairer, greener city, stronger with school staff continuing to go over and above to provide young learners with a good education, resulting in educational outcomes that are above the Welsh average and with regulator assessments being generally good. New schools have been opened, providing brilliant learning opportunities for children and great facilities for our local communities. Look at outside County Hall today and you will see not one major project, not two but three major projects now underway, a new arena, a new district heap network and a new trauma route, all part of the next chapter of Cardiff Day's redevelopment, which is already delivering major benefits to the economy. Thanks to the work of staff and volunteers, hubs and libraries remain in the heart of our communities. Funny enough, BBC's News round was on in our House of the Day, and it was reported how 800 libraries have closed in the UK since 2010. None of those have been in Cardiff. Then a fairer Council and a fairer city with continued progress in building hundreds of new council houses, bringing us closer to our targets of 4,000 new homes for those desperate to get on and into secure accommodation, working with developers to bring even more affordable homes and homes for private sale onto the market. Council staff continue to work tirelessly to deal with a housing emergency that has seen record numbers presenting as homeless. Next month we will be reporting on the progress made against the recommendations of the Race Equality Task Force. My Cabinet colleagues and I, along with Councillor Ibrahim, were pleased meeting last week to see all the good work that is underway in addressing the recommendations of that task force. Similarly, workers continued to make card if a city forcedor in order to eliminate discrimination against women and girls. Similarly, we've progressed our commitment to supporting neurodivergence and built on our position as the highest ranking local authority in the Stonewall Index. Finally, a greener city. Our members will be aware, very aware in some cases that segregated recycling has now been rolled out to 47,000 homes across the city, marking the ongoing transition to a more sustainable city. Our switch to a green vehicle fleet continues with card if buss about to unveil their latest tranche of electric buses. Meanwhile, we have green spaces in Park Te De Nech and Western service cemetery, achieving green flag status, bringing the total number and card if to 18. Whilst our Coid Cardiff initiative sees more and more trees being planted with the record 30,000 trees planted during the last planting season, literally making card if a greener city. Of course, again, none of this will be possible without the professional support of our fantastic team of officers. I think everyone will want to join me in thanking all our staff. She's exactly down for the community. Now, as we look to the year ahead, we cannot be under any illusions about the scale of the medium-term financial challenges. Across the UK, authorities of all sizes and led by parties of all colours are facing, in some instances, existential challenges. The fundamental changes that we have seen in the scale and complexity of service demands post-COVID are here, I'm afraid to say, to stay. New risks and issues continue to emerge and workforce pressures are a defining feature of almost every department. Demand for temporary housing in the city remains exceptionally high. All our units are full and there are over 8,000 households still on the waiting list. Indeed, there are more than 120 families in hotel accommodation at this point in Cardiff. The number of people housed in temporary and emergency accommodation continues to grow. We're seeing year-on-year increases in the number of children and young people with additional learning needs who need further support and schools are still having to also deal with post-pandemic challenges like persistent absences. The demand and the cost pressure associated with supporting older people have also soared largely driven by the cost of residential placements and pay pressures. My Lord Mayor, this is the context in which we will need to close a budget gap of over £140 million between now and the 2028-29 financial year. This is a challenge that whoever wins on July the 4th will need to grapple with and frankly to help local government with. With hearing Cardiff rather than accept a programme of managed decline, our challenge must be to close that budget gap while maintaining the vital services that we provide for the people of Cardiff. So, looking forward to the year ahead, more and more homes will continue to be built and new in-house accommodation will be delivered for the children in now care. Major improvements to the transport network will be taken forward with a new rail link between the city centre and the bay, becoming a critical part of our city's infrastructure. We will deliver even more cycle ways, making it easier and safer for residents and tourists alike to get across our city and we will continue the work to drive the recycling figures, recognising that more needs to be done on this particular target but more generally in terms of our response to climate change. This autumn, we will deliver a signature music festival in Cardiff that we hope to attract around 20,000 people as part of growing an organic attraction that will further define Cardiff status as a music city and a culturally progressive city. A new school is already emerging out of the ground in fair water and work on a school in the plot of the new willows will soon become underway as well. These are just some of the things to be delivered over the year ahead to make Cardiff a stronger, fairer greener city and I know that these are issues with are important to many of us and we will continue to make progress in the year ahead knowing too that members of all parties will continue to scrutinise and continue to precess on our delivery. Despite the challenges, because of the challenges, local authorities are more important than ever and city councils especially so. Why? Because it is local authorities that will tackle the housing emergency that will lead on local regeneration projects and lead the transition to net zero and it is cities like Cardiff who are best placed to deliver the growth that this country needs, that this country needs whoever forms next government if this country is to prosper. I look forward, perhaps on the 5th of July onwards, to working with you all in the year ahead, Johanna. Thank you. Item 9 is confirmation of the appointment to members of the Cabinet. The leader has confirmed the list of Cabinet members and portfolios which appear on the amendment sheet. Is that noted? Item 10 is the establishment of Standing Committees of Council for 2024-2025. The Constitution provides that the Council will at its annual meeting decide any amendments to its standing committees for the municipal year and the size and terms of reference of those committees. Your recommendations agreed as set out in the report. Recommendations agreed. Item 11 is, approve the allocation of seats and nominations and appointments of members to committees, in accordance with political balance. Nominations received in accordance with party group wishes appear on the amendment sheet. Are the nominations set out on the amendment sheet and the recommendations in the report agreed. The nominations and recommendations are agreed. Item 12 is to elect the chairs and deputy chairs of committees. The party group nominations appear on the amendment sheet. Are the recommendations agreed? The nominations and recommendations agreed. Item 13 is the appointment of the representatives to outside bodies. This report deals solely with those outside bodies for which nominations are required on an annual basis and requested at this time in order to meet particular deadlines. Nominations received from party groups are included on the amendment sheet. Are the nominations and recommendations on the report agreed? The nominations and recommendations are agreed. Item 14, it is noted the Councillors have declared a personal interest in this item. The item is to consider the prescribed levels of members from immunination and allowances to payable in 2024-2025 as determined by the independent immunization panel for Wales and to agree those matters which reserve for local determination by the council. Are the recommendations agreed are set out in the report? The recommendations are agreed. Item 15 is a program of meetings. The council procedure rules provide that the council approves a program of ordinary meetings of the full council and a schedule of cabinet and committee members for the municipal year. Other recommendations in the report approved? The recommendations are agreed. Item 16 is urgent business. I can confirm that no urgent business has been received. This ends the annual meeting today and I invite you to join me in committee rooms 2 and 3. Thank you. [Applause] the committee. [Applause] [BLANK_AUDIO]