To receive such reports as the Leader of the Council may wish to bring before the Council.
Minutes:
The Leader opened his report by joining the Chairman’s in congratulating teams and officers across the County Council for the awards and accolades they had received and was delighted to see their efforts recognised locally and nationally.
On 14th June, the Leader was honoured to have participated in a flag-raising event in Winchester on the 40th anniversary of the end of the Falklands Conflict to pay tribute to the 255 British servicemen and 3 Falkland Islanders who lost their lives, as well as all those who served in the Falklands campaign. The event was followed by Armed Forces Week at the end of June, which gave the County Council the opportunity to demonstrate its continued support and gratitude to all members of the Armed Forces community in Hampshire.
Turning to economic prosperity, the Leader reported that in light of recent national events, he had decided not to take the County Deal prospectus to Cabinet until there was greater clarity on the most appropriate timeframes and practicalities for engagement with central Government. The Leader was pleased to report on another project, the Solent Freeport, which was launched at the Solent Summit in June offering a major economic opportunity for Hampshire. Solent Freeport is one of eight Freeports being established in England aiming to create additional economic activity near shipping ports and Southampton Airport by designating locations where imported goods are exempt from certain government tariffs and duties. The Freeport will also allow business rates growth raised at these locations to be retained locally and reinvested in the area. Current estimates indicate that the Freeport will generate £1 billion in GVA and over 16,000 jobs directly in the Solent region. The Leader also reported on the Solent LEP’s plans for the Freeport to become a centre of excellence in green skills and jobs, to ensure that local people, and especially local young people, will benefit most from the opportunities generated by the Freeport.
The Leader welcomed the County Council’s latest Annual Workforce Report, which was published this month and followed the launch of the County Council’s first organisation-wide Inclusion Strategy and Action Plan in September 2021. The Leader commented on the importance of the County Council setting an example as an organisation that enables and promotes inclusion and diversity and was particularly pleased that the County Council met the necessary criteria to become a Level 2 Disability Confident Employer at the end of last year; recognition that will support the County Council’s activities to attract, develop and retain staff who have a disability. The County’s Council’s efforts to ensure it is an inclusive and diverse employer is driven by staff at all levels, from the Chief Executive chairing the Inclusion, Diversity and Wellbeing Steering Group to officers involved in the various staff networks providing advice and challenge. The Leader expressed his delight that Councillor Kirsty North had joined his Cabinet with the expanded Executive portfolio to include Inclusion and Diversity.to provide strong political impetus to progress the County Council’s ambitions, in collaboration with officers, partners, communities, and Members, to all play a role in helping to deliver this within the County Council.
The Leader made Members aware of two Member Champion positions, one for Mental Health, and the other for the Hampshire Music Service, which are voluntary roles:
Councillor Sarah Pankhurst will be the Council’s Mental Health Champion, taking over the role from Councillor Stallard. Councillor Pankhurst would be raising awareness of mental health across Hampshire and within the Council. She will identify opportunities to embed prevention and promotion of public mental health following the signing of the Mental Health Prevention Concordat by Hampshire County Council in 2019. The role will include championing mental health and suicide prevention resources and training; promoting the “Five Ways to Wellbeing” as tools for protecting good mental health; challenging the stigma of mental health; and championing parity of esteem.
Councillor Fran Carpenter will be championing the work of the Hampshire Music Education Hub, and the important role that it places in the delivery of high-quality musical opportunities for children and young people across Hampshire. From the moment a child engages with music through one of the many first-access opportunities, such as Beyond the Beat, Rock 2 the Beat, and Listen 2 Me, through to the impressive range of 60 youth music ensembles run by Hampshire County Council's Music Service, children and young people are becoming empowered to develop themselves musically, socially, mentally, and emotionally. Councillor Carpenter would be championing the strong work that is being delivered in special schools, education centres and alternative provisions, whereby children and young people are given the opportunity to personally excel through musical opportunities.
The Leader concluded his report by highlighting that it was Hampshire Day on Friday 15 July and hoped Members would take the opportunity to celebrate the beautiful county of Hampshire, its communities, and the organisation’s role in making it such a special place.