9 January 2026

Hello everyone, and a Happy New Year! I hope you had a healthy and happy time over the festive period. I had a lovely, relaxing time and a good break.

On Monday, I travelled down to London very early with Leaders from neighbouring authorities to visit 10 Downing Street. If you have seen the film Love Actually, I only really wanted to impersonate Hugh Grant's dance on the stairs. If you don't understand this, you need to watch the film! I was also honoured to meet Larry the cat.

Unfortunately, the weather was terrible, and it was a difficult and long journey. Sometimes residents will ask me to help them and it's difficult when I can't. Sometimes the only thing I can do is lobby MPs to make changes to legislation. During my visit, I took the opportunity to go to Parliament and lobby MPs on several issues that were important for residents in Stockton-on-Tees. The journey back was no different and I finally put my keys in the door at 1:50am but overall, it was a worthwhile trip.

On Tuesday I had a catch up with my co-Councillor Steve Nelson and colleagues from Thirteen Group to discuss Ward related issues. I then met with Mike Greene, Chief Executive, and other senior colleagues for a briefing ahead of Cabinet next week.

Later in the day, I attended the Big Committee meeting for Bright Minds, Big Futures (BMBF). BMBF is our youth-led group who work closely with the Council to make the Borough a great place to grow up. It is honestly one of my favourite meetings. The members ask me lots of questions about the Council and National issues and tell me what young people's priorities are. It also gives me a chance to ask their views on policies that we are introducing and generally, how they feel being Stockton residents. If you know a young person who would be interested in joining BMBF, they can find more information online.

Midweek I met with the Tees Valley Combined Authority (TVCA) Education, Employment and Skills (EES) Rapporteur, Councillor Rachel Creevy to discuss the Overview and Scrutiny Committee portfolio. We discussed suitable topics for scrutiny, and I gave an update on my role and priorities for the upcoming year.

I also met with various Cabinet members during the day for one-to-one meetings where we discussed issues, priorities and support.

I then visited Bowesfield Primary School. When I was Cabinet Member for Children and Young People, it was a highlight for me to get out and visit schools. When I became Leader, I decided that I would try to continue this. The head teacher at Bowesfield invited me in to discuss issues within the school that were national issues, and they needed help to lobby Government to change policies. The issues that schools face are huge, but Bowesfield has a diverse range. There are 26 different languages spoken by children in Bowesfield and although great to sit and chat, the issues that some of our schools face, alongside the children and their families, is alarming. I will do my best to be a voice for them and try to drive National policy changes.

I then had my regular catch up with Mike Greene. It was great to meet up with Mike after the festive break and look ahead to our plans for 2026. We have some difficult decisions to make in the next year, and it won't be an easy time, but we also have exciting events and schemes happening, not least the opening of the Waterfront Park.

I then had a catch up with Tom Bryant the Chief Executive of the TVCA, followed by my monthly Ward Surgery.

On Thursday we had a visit form Alison McGovern MP who is the Minister of State for Local Government and homelessness. The visit was the result of a motion to full Council where I was asked to invite the minister to Stockton-on-Tees. I hosted her for the morning, and she was extremely impressed by our ambitious plans for the Borough. Officers gave a presentation on the various schemes we have but also on what we have delivered. She was mesmerised by the view of the Waterfront Park from the boardroom.

I then escorted her on a visit to the Moses Project alongside housing officers. The Moses Project provides guidance, mentoring and support to hundreds of adult males with past and current addictions to drugs and alcohol. The men usually live in chaotic circumstances and are suffering the consequences of long-term self-abuse. It was a very successful visit.

I later had the opportunity to visit our new Data Centre alongside colleagues from Darlington Borough Council. The new Data Centre is a third of the size of the old one, improving efficiency and helping to reduce energy consumption, supporting the Council's climate targets. I would like to thank the Xentrall ICT team for their incredible work that has made this project a success.

Today my diary is free of meetings so I will be taking the time to catch up on case work and emails.

I have meetings tomorrow morning, but I am looking forward to seeing my son and daughter-in-law who are home from Manchester for the weekend.

Whatever you are doing, I hope you all have a lovely weekend.