Agenda item

Councillor Majid Khan, Chair of Council made the following announcement:-

“I would like to extend a welcome to our newly elected Member, Councillor Tosh McDonald who is attending his first Council Meeting today following the recent By-Election.

I would also like to welcome members of the Youth Council who are here today for Item 12 on the Agenda in relation to the Motion proposing to lower the voting age to 16.”

The Mayor of Doncaster, Ros Jones, made the following announcements:-

“Having promised to give careful consideration to the One Yorkshire proposal, Yorkshire Leaders were disappointed the Government’s response last week was a three paragraph letter placing obstacles to achieving a Devolution settlement and not addressing the detail of the proposal.

The One Yorkshire proposal has the cross-party support of 18 Authorities and the Mayor of the Sheffield City Region, and are ready to deliver a Devolution deal right now which would offer huge benefits for the region and the wider UK economy.  With the constructive support of the Government, an agreement can be in place and a Mayor for One Yorkshire elected by 2020.  Yorkshire Leaders were clear that they stand together; united to deliver One Yorkshire working with a constructive partner in Government.

Yorkshire Leaders have tasked Officers with continuing to develop the One Yorkshire plan in line with the demands set out by the Government and expect the Government to respond with a constructive approach and rapid progress in the coming weeks and months.

We have invited the Government to be involved in the economic study of the rationale behind the One Yorkshire proposition which is being undertaken now and will be completed in the coming months.  We also stated our willingness to travel together to London at any time to progress discussions with the Secretary of State, James Brokenshire and other Ministers.

The 19 Leaders called upon the Government to help meet its own conditions by accelerating the delivery of the Sheffield City Region Devolution deal whilst assuring those who want to join One Yorkshire, that option will be available to them as early as 2020.

Leaders vowed to remain united to deliver what the people of Doncaster voted for, what Yorkshire deserves and what could benefit the whole of the UK. 

I would ask my Conservative colleagues to lobby their own party both locally and nationally in support of the widest Yorkshire Devolution deal possible.

My second announcement relates to the Miners Statue launch for Crowd Funding.  This is a subject close to my heart and many others across Doncaster.  My Dad was a miner, and I grew up as part of a mining community; an extended family that looked out for each other.  The statue will be a celebration of our mining history.  It will be an iconic and permanent piece of public art built on the stories of our ex-miners and their communities; their contribution is integral to the project.

This is exciting work by internationally acclaimed sculptor Laurence Edwards.  He has made many large scale works and exhibited around the world.  Laurence has been meeting with former miners and their families to hear their stories.  You can see his designs and ideas at the ‘A Rich Seam’ at the Frenchgate; it’s pretty impressive and I would encourage those who haven’t been to see it to go, and take your cheque books with you!

There’s a 10ft mock-up of the proposed design, some of the bronze heads are on display, as well as photographic portraits of the miners and their families. We need your help to bring the design to life!

We need to raise £130,000 to meet the cost of the statue and have launched a Space Hive crowdfunding campaign, the link is:-

https://www.spacehive.com/mining_doncaster

You can pledge online and if you can each afford to pledge £2, every pledge takes us closer to our goal.”

Councillor Nuala Fennelly made the following announcement:-

“The Key Stage 2 SATS results have been released this week and they are very positive.  It reflects all the hard work that has been put in and I am really pleased with them.  There will be more details available early next week and the results for the Schools in each Ward will be sent to the Ward Councillors for them to look at, but I am very pleased.”