13 June 2025

To start the week I joined Mike Greene, Chief Executive of the Council, for his annual appraisal. At his appraisal we looked at what he has achieved over the last period and measured his progress against the targets that we last set. We then focus on what we want to achieve in the next period.

On Tuesday I chaired my first meeting at Teesside Airport as Cabinet Member for Education, Employment and Skills for the Tees Valley Combined Authority (TVCA). This is a role that I am really invested in and there was some great discussion in the room. On the afternoon I facilitated a session with partners at the TVCA around skills, employment and funding for adult education in the Tees Valley. It was a really well attended session and the first of three. I'm looking forward to these workshops to shape the future of education, employment and skills in the Tees Valley.

Mid-week I had the privilege of attending the LGC Awards in London, where Stockton-on-Tees Borough Council was shortlisted for the prestigious Council of the Year Award.  Mike and I had to present to the 10 judges and then had a Q&A session in the afternoon, ahead of the awards ceremony in the evening. Unfortunately, we didn't win this time, but I'm incredibly proud of all of the work that went into our submission. We were unashamedly Stockton-on-Tees and proud of our team, our residents, and our town. I was delighted that two staff members also attended the awards with us. Well done to the winners, Telford and Wrekin Council who we have an excellent relationship with.

On Thursday I chaired the Cabinet meeting. The highlight of the meeting was a presentation from Bright Minds, Big Futures, our youth-led movement operating in the Borough. They are an absolutely amazing group of young people and the amount of work they achieve is tremendous. We also had papers on accelerating our affordable housing delivery and a report on a children's safeguarding hub for Stockton-on-Tees, something that I championed when I was Cabinet Member for Children and Young People.

This morning, I was once again at Teesside Airport for a meeting at the TVCA. This afternoon I am attending an Inspirational Networking Women's Luncheon at Wynyard Hall, which I am very much looking forward to.

It looks to be lovely weather this weekend, and I am planning on a day out to Whiby with my Dad. Whatever you are doing, I hope that you have a great weekend.