To consider any communications to be submitted by the Mayor or the Chief Executive.
Minutes:
(a) Mr M Gladstone – Executive Director Place
The Chief Executive stated that she was sure that all Members of the Council would want to join with her in congratulating Matt Gladstone (Executive Director Place) in being appointed as the new Chief Executive of Peterborough City Council.
Matt had a wealth of public sector experience as before joining Barnsley initially as the Executive Director Corporate Services, and then latterly as the Executive Director Place, he previously worked as Assistant Chief Executive and Director of Commissioning, Policy and Performance at Rotherham and also worked for four years with the Audit Commission.
As Members would know, in his role as Executive Director Place he had responsibility for the environment, transport and economic regeneration services and, of course, had played a key role in Barnsley’s transformation journey over the last seven years. He had also played an integral part in the regeneration of the Town Centre which had culminated in the opening of The Glass Works in September.
Matt was thanked for everything he had done for Barnsley. He would be missed greatly and was given best wishes for his future in Peterborough.
Councillor Sir Steve Houghton CBE (Leader of the Council), Councillor Andrews BEM, Councillor Lamb (Cabinet Spokesperson for Place (Environment and Transportation)), Councillor Frost (Cabinet Support Member for Place (Regeneration and Culture)), Councillor Hayward and the Mayor (Councillor Makinson) all expressed their thanks for Matt’s hard work and dedication to Barnsley and particularly for the work that had led to the continuing transformation of the Town Centre. They gave him their best wishes for the future.
The Mayor and Members of the Council expressed their congratulations to Matt in the usual manner.
(b) Covid Memorial Sculpture
The Chief Executive stated that all Members would be aware that the Covid Memorial Sculpture had been unveiled in Glassworks Square on the 22nd November, 2021. To the best of our knowledge this was the first permanent memorial of its kind in the Country and only the second in the world. The sculpture was also one of a very few pieces of public art worldwide that recognised ordinary working people.
The Covid Memorial Sculpture marked an important moment in our history, it remembered the people that had lost their lives to this disease and paid tribute to key workers, volunteers and communities that continued to support us though the pandemic.
It had been designed and produced by artist Graham Ibbeson in, collaboration with Lockbund Sculpture Foundry and developed, by a Multi Agency Partnership, involving Ian McMillan, Barnsley, Council, Berneslai Homes, Barnsley College, Barnsley Community and Voluntary Services, Barnsley Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, South Yorkshire Police, Fire and Ambulance Services, Barnsley Clinical Commissioning Group, Barnsley Youth Council, the Chamber of Commerce and Mayor Dan Jarvis MP.
The project had received unprecedented levels of positive media coverage, right from international to regional and local level.
Thanks were extended to all who worked with such dedication on this very complex project, on the engagement programme and the exhibition and for delivering such a wonderful and fitting event.
The Mayor, Councillor Makinson, commented that this had been a very emotional event and she had sent a personal message to all officers and staff and to all who had been involved in its planning.
Councillor Sir Steve Houghton CBE (Leader of the Council) extended his own thanks to all the partner bodies who had supported the project. Particular thanks were given to Lord Sentamu and Dr R Jenkins the Chief Executive of Barnsley District General Hospital who had attended the unveiling. Dr Jenkins had stated that the memorial was not only a reminder of people who had been lost but was also a reminder of what was still going. Thanks were also given to the young people and children who had attended and one family in particular had attended to pay tribute to a husband and father who had been lost due to the pandemic.
Councillor Frost, (Cabinet Support Member for Place (Regeneration and Culture)) thanked the members of the Culture and Events Team for what had been achieved and in ensuring that something spectacular and long lasting was in place for the people of Barnsley. The media coverage itself had shown how much this meant for the people of the area and also raised the profile of Barnsley. Particular thanks were given to Sue Thiedeman, Alex Hanner, Matt Mitchell, Dominic Somers, Gareth Webb, Karen Buttery and Sara Mair for their work and to staff from the Yorkshire Sculpture Park and the fantastic artists Graham Ibbeson and his Team.
The Mayor, Councillor Makinson, then commented on the wonderful service that had been held to mark the unveiling of the sculpture.
Councillor J Higginbottom stated that his own grandfather was one of the people remembered on the plaque on the sculpture and it would, therefore, be remis of him not to express his own thanks to everyone involved in making this sculpture a reality. The unveiling ceremony had been a truly honouring and humbling experience and the sculpture was a lasting tribute both to those who had lost their lives but also the key workers who had worked so tirelessly. As the Chief Executive had stated this was one of the rare pieces of public art in the world that celebrated working class people and working class communities. The perfect summation of the whole sculpture and unveiling event were the words engraved on the plinth ‘Barnsley’s fierce love will hold you forever in its heart’.