1 May 2026

Hello everyone, I hope you have enjoyed your week.

I started the week very tired after a busy weekend with friends in London. I arrived back and went straight into a Cabinet pre-agenda meeting.

On Tuesday morning I met with Mike Greene, Chief Executive, and Paul Rowling, Deputy Leader, to discuss current projects and events. I then met with Tees Valley Combined Authority (TVCA) officers to prepare for an upcoming workshop.

On Tuesday evening I attended a member's briefing for an update from the Police and Crime Commissioner Matt Storey alongside briefings from Cleveland Fire Brigade and an update on the Council's new Intranet.

On Wednesday morning I travelled over to Preston Park to attend the Northern regional event "From Concrete to Canopy". It was a beautiful sunny day, and it was a pleasure to welcome people from across the region to our beautiful park. I opened the event with some information about the history of the Hall and the work that we have been doing across the Borough to protect our flora and fauna and to ensure sustainability. A big thank you to Neil Mitchell, Head of Environment, Leisure and Green Infrastructure, for helping me with this.

The next presentation was from Iain Robinson, Assistant Director of Town Centres, who impressed the audience with our ambitious Waterfront Park project. I can't wait for the opening of this wonderful park in June for Armed Forces Day.

Later in the afternoon, I chaired the Health and Wellbeing Board.

Yesterday I headed over to the Teesworks Skills Academy to facilitate a workshop on the Local Skills Improvement Plan, in my role as TVCA Cabinet Member for Employment, Education and Skills. This is an ambitious plan that has to be signed off by the Secretary of State, and I was joined by officers, partners and organisations from across the Tees Valley. We collectively discussed our priorities for the plan to inform what we present to Government.

After this I met with Matt Ord who is the new Chair of the Tees Valley Business Board.

Today, I am meeting with Sharon Hodgson MP, Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State in the Department for Health and Social Care, who is visiting Stockton-on-Tees. Chris McDonald MP will join her. Officers and I will present our ambitious plans for the Borough before walking across to show her our successful Hampton by Hilton hotel.

Tomorrow, I will be joining my daughter to watch the final Boro game of the season. Although, I have a tiny, tiny glimmer of hope for automatic promotion, I'm still delighted that we are guaranteed a play-off place.

Whatever you are doing this weekend, I hope the sun is shining and you have a lovely weekend. Come on Boro!!