Agenda item

Communications

To consider any communications to be submitted by the Mayor or the Chief Executive.

Minutes:

(a)       Barnsley Youth Choir

 

The Mayor knew that all Members of the Council would want to join him in sending the Council’s congratulations to the Barnsley Youth Choir following their magnificent performance in the European Choir Games held in Riga, Latvia last weekend

 

The Choir won the Gospel, Spiritual and Music of the Spirit and Faith Champions section and then went on to win the Champions of the European Choir Games Jazz, Pop and Show award and then, to round off a wonderful weekend, the Choir won the prestigious Grand Prix of Nations Award for both categories.

 

The Mayor asked to place on record his thanks to the choir Musical Director Matt Wright and to all the volunteers who worked so hard to get the choir to Riga.  He stated that he would be holding a Civic Reception for the choir in September 2017 and would let all Members know when a data had been agreed.

 

The Mayor and Members of the Council expressed their congratulations to all concerned in the usual manner.

 

(b)       Barnsley Museums

 

The Chief Executive was delighted to report that Barnsley Museums had secured the Arts Council England’s National Portfolio status which was in recognition of their continued excellence in leadership that they had provided within the sector, not just within Barnsley but within the sector as a whole.

 

This came with an award for £1.8m and demonstrated yet again they had brought in some significant funding which would enable the Service to deliver a programme of activity to implement the Arts Council’s Strategy ‘Great Art for Everyone’.  In particular Barnsley Museums would use the funds to reach out to communities that did not usually use or access the museums service so that they could use art and culture and enjoy it and, at the same time, improve health and wellbeing and learning.

 

Barnsley had a great track record of delivering some great projects already such as Experience Barnsley and the Cooper Gallery and used collections to get out and about to engage with people and offer a really high quality experience.  These were all noted as part of the strengths of the service.

 

The Chief Executive was particularly pleased that Leadership was also noted by the Arts Council as a key strength.  Embracing change, which was a key element of the Future Council Programme, had been a specific focus of the Council and Leadership at all levels and this could now be seen to be really paying off with this award.

 

The Chief Executive expressed her thanks to the Barnsley Museums Team for their hard work in securing this achievement and in raising Barnsley’s profile yet again as a place of excellence.  Sue Thiedeman (Head of Culture and Visitor Economy) and Devina Skirrow (Marketing Officer) were present in the Council Chamber this morning.

 

Councillor Miller (Cabinet Spokesperson for Place) commented that some of the team involved in this success were unable to be in attendance due to holidays but he wanted to express his own congratulations, as well as those of the rest of the Members of the Council, and ensure that these were passed to all the staff involved.

 

The Mayor and Members of the Council expressed their congratulations to all concerned in the usual manner.

 

(c)        Community Safety Offer/Safer Neighbourhood Services

 

The Chief Executive commented that the South Yorkshire Police and the Council had come together to shape the future and develop the Community Safety Offer.  The offer would seek to have more and better collaboration, more co-location, more shared leadership and, more importantly, better outcomes for individuals, families and communities.

 

Delivering this type of change from across different organisations took real strength, energy and determination and, of course, leadership.  The Chief Executive asked to commend the team for all of their hard work both across the Council and the South Yorkshire Police in establishing the Safer Neighbourhood Services.  It was an integrated model of delivery which was focused not only on neighbourhoods but also on vulnerability as well.  The work in Barnsley had laid the real foundations for that model to be replicated across the whole of the South Yorkshire Police Force area and the Council should rightly be proud of the efforts the staff and officers had put in place. 

 

The Chief Executive welcomed to the meeting and congratulated Sgt Brad Wynne, Sgt Martin Gammit, Paul Brannan and Jane Brannan and all those involved with the initiative for all their hard work.

 

The Mayor commented that, as the Chief Executive had said, Community Policing had started here in Barnsley.  He could remember David Blunkett when he was Home Secretary putting the first Community Police Safety Officers in Grimethorpe and this was an example of how Barnsley had led the way across the country once again.

 

The Mayor and Members of the Council expressed their congratulations to all concerned in the usual manner.

 

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