Issue - meetings

To receive such reports as the Leader of the Council may wish to bring before the Council.

The Leader reported that in the last two months he had met with four Government Ministers, including Jake Berry from the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government, and Therese Coffey, Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for the Environment.  The Leader had also had meetings with most Hampshire MPs, had received a significant number of briefings on major topics such as the important development at Manydown and various other developments, attended a meeting of the Anglo Indian Group in London and more locally, the Gosport Task Force Meeting led by Caroline Dinenage MP. 

The Leader had also spent time visiting as many Hampshire District Councils as possible since taking up post and personally discussing with the Leader’s of those Councils how the County Council might work more closely with them.  So far, visits had been made to Rushmoor Borough Council, East Hampshire District Council, New Forest District Council and Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council, and hoped to have visited all 11 district council partners by the autumn.

The Leader reported his attendance at Hampshire Day and D-Day celebrations including some very moving events which were relevant to the county's past.  As important as the County’s history is, the Leader also emphasised the importance of focussing on the future as highlighted by the deputations received on climate change.         

The Leader had pleasure in thanking everyone in the Children’s Services Department for the hugely successful inspection report received from Ofsted and asked the Director of Children’s Services to pass on his thanks for all the work that had been carried out over many years to achieve this outstanding report.

Looking ahead to discussions about the Environment later on the agenda, the Leader confirmed that Councillor Jan Warwick would take up the role of Environment Champion to work with Councillor Rob Humby, Executive Member for Economy, Transport and Environment.