Minutes:
The Lord Mayor passed on her condolences, and those of Council Members, to the family and friends of Alderman Joan Richardson, a former Mayor, Councillor and Alderman of this city who had recently passed away.
The Lord Mayor also passed on her condolences, and those of Council Members, to the family, friends and colleagues of Peter Jones who had died unexpectedly. Peter, with his colleague Penny, ran a marketing company called Smith & Jones, working across Exeter with the Council’s key partners, residents and staff as one of the co-founders of Exeter Live Better - positioning the city as The Brilliant Alternative. Peter wanted to put people’s wellbeing and quality of life at the heart of everything and recognised the outstanding qualities the city had to offer. He would often say that ‘Exeter hides its light under a bushel - and then hides the bushel’.
The Lord Mayor received a petition from the residents of Albert Street which would be responded to in accordance with the petition scheme.
The Lord Mayor also reported the following:-
· the return home of HMS Defender, the City’sAffiliated Ship, which had been at sea for more than seven months. The Lord Mayor had recently spoken to Commander Vince Owen, the Commanding Officer via a zoom call;
· the appointment of the Right Reverend Robert Atwell to the House of Lords who would now sit on the benches of the Lords Spiritual, amongst 26 other Bishops who sit in Parliament’s Upper House, leading the House in prayer each morning, playing an active role in the life and work of the House. With that honour, he had become the Right Reverend Prelate the Lord Bishop of Exeter;
· the attendance of the past Lord Mayor, Councillor Peter Holland, at the annual flag raising ceremony in honour of the Polish Squadron 307 who had played a part in defending the city during World War II; and
· the wreath laying by the Leader on behalf of the city at St. James’ Park.
The Lord Mayor advised that she had attended the following:-
· the wreath laying ceremony at the Remembrance Service at the War memorial in Northernhay Gardens on 14 November 2021;
· the Weavers, Fullers and Shearmen’s annual dinner at Tuckers Hall on 19 November 2021;
· the biennial Achievement Awards of the Rifles at London’s Guildhall on 24 November 2021;
· the Freedomship of the City ceremony at the Guildhall in honour of Richard Jacobs on 30 November 2021;
· the ceremony welcoming former Councillor Olwen Foggin as an Honorary Alderman on 3 December 2021;
· Exeter’s Hanukkah celebrations in Bedford Square on 5 December 2021;
· the city’s Mosque on 10 December 2021;
· the Winter Graduation ceremony at the University Great Hall on 10 December 2021; and
· a number of concerts and fairs as well asthe Lord Mayor’s Christmas Charity morning at which £400 had been raised towards funds for Inclusive Exeter, herchosen charity to support project work across the city.
The Lord Mayor thanked Councillors for taking lateral flow tests prior to the meeting.