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The Mayor advised that she had attended
73 Mayoral engagements since the October 2023
Council Meeting.  In total, she had
attended more than 220 engagements since the beginning of her term
of office in May 2023.  She stated that
it was a great honour and privilege to represent the Council as the
first citizen of the town.
 
The Mayor paid tribute to
the efficient team of the Mayor’s office, including her
Secretary, and was grateful for the support of the Democratic
Services Team.  She also thanked the
Deputy Mayor for his support and for attending the engagements that
she had been unable to attend.
 
The Mayor thanked her fellow
councillors for their support and encouragement.  She paid tribute to their work and dedication to
the town, and also thanked officers and staff who were working
behind the scenes to support her work.
 
The Mayor then thanked the
many groups, communities, individuals and organisations who had
extended the invitations to her to attend events.  It had been truly inspirational to have met the
winners and the nominees of this year’s Stevenage Pride
Awards.
 
The Mayor announced that she
had received many visitors to the parlour and the Ingelheim
Lounge.  She had attended many Christmas
Carol Services and had been a part of the group singing Carols at
some Care homes.  Meeting the frontline
staff while cleaning the streets or cutting trees were some of the
things she loved to do when she had some free time.
 
The Mayor referred to
meeting the King Charles in Stevenage’s Coptic Church, which
was unexpected and a great honour to have been invited.  She was particularly impressed when King Charles
spoke to her about her NHS work and even laughed with her reply to
his comment which could be viewed on the Royal Family
Channel.
 
The Mayor was delighted to
announce that the town had been recognised as being Dementia
Friendly last month.  She thanked the
Council’s Leisure and Health Officer and the
Alzheimer’s Society, together with the many organisations and
individuals who had been working passionately to secure this
recognition.
 
The Mayor advised that the
plan for the next six months was to continue to promote all
dementia activity and support available in Stevenage, including
Dementia Friends training for Council frontline Staff, Members and
partner organisations.  Tool kits would
be created for local businesses and taxi companies within Stevenage
to make Stevenage even more Dementia Friendly.  Another plan was to create a Dementia Hub which
could support residents to find out what services were available
for those living with Dementia, their families, and
carers.  Working in partnership with
Everyone Active, the aim was to host this within the Healthy Hub at
the Leisure Centre.
 
The Mayor concluded by
announcing that she was looking forward to the next six
months.
 
The Mayor invited the Youth Mayor and Deputy
Youth Mayor to address the Council.
 
The Youth Mayor and Deputy Mayor shared their
journeys so far in their Mayoral year for
2023/24.
 
The Youth Mayor stated that their journey began with an
introduction to their roles, meeting various staff members,
including the Regeneration Team who introduced them to the
remarkable Stevenage Better initiative, leaving them thoroughly
impressed by the town's past achievements and future
objectives.
The Deputy Youth Mayor commented that summer commenced with
Stevenage Day, an event brimming with interactions - engaging with
residents, speaking with charitable organisations, enjoying
captivating performances, and connecting with the vibrant leisure
and events team.
June took the Youth Mayor to Autun
for the annual town twinning event, an enriching experience where
she not only explored beautiful locales, but also engaged in a
round table discussion, warmly welcomed by accommodating
dignitaries.
The Council noted that the latter part of the year had been a
whirlwind of activity.  Among their
engagements, the Youth Mayor and Deputy Youth Mayor took part in
significant events including:

·        
Heading the inaugural Stevenage Youth Festival with
an opening speech, a platform to launch the festivities, and
engaging with incredible partners supporting the town's
youth;

·        
Attending the Pride awards, celebrating diversity
through captivating acts and proudly presenting the Young Person's
Award alongside Councillor Sandra Barr;

·        
Participating in this year's Remembrance Sunday, an
honour that included inspecting the troops alongside the Mayor - an
immensely touching experience etched in their memories;

·        
Recently, witnessing the spectacle of the Town
Centre Christmas lights switch-on, featuring remarkable
performances from Nala the station cat and Junior Andre;
and

·        
Hosting the annual Christmas card design
competition, offering a student from one of the town's schools the
opportunity to craft their Christmas card, fostering creativity and
community involvement.
The Youth Mayor concluded by stating that their journey this
year had been full of connections, engagements, and meaningful
experiences, amplifying their dedication to the community and its
ongoing development.