8 May 2026

Hello everyone, I hope you had a lovely bank holiday weekend.

This week has been a lot quieter for me which has allowed me to catch up on reports, emails, and case work.

I started the week with a catch up with Tom Bryant, Chief Executive of the Tees Valley Combined Authority (TVCA). We discussed my priorities for Stockton, what is happening across the Tees Valley and my Cabinet portfolio at TVCA.

I then met with colleagues from the Fairer Stockton-on-Tees team for a regular update on the programme.

After this, I met with Mike Greene, Chief Executive, for our usual catch up. We were also joined by Tracey Carter, Director of Regeneration and Inclusive Growth, and Iain Robinson, Assistant Director for Town Centre Development for an update on all the regeneration plans across the Borough.

I also met with fellow Councillors to brief them on upcoming schemes.

In the afternoon, I chaired a meeting of the Care and Health Innovation Zone Board. The Board is made up of Council officers and senior partners from organisations such as TVCA, Homes England, NHS and Teesside University, amongst others. We talk through and plan our shared vision for this exciting zone.

On Wednesday, I had an early meeting to discuss potential funding for a youth project in Stockton before a meeting with Thirteen Group.

I then had a catch up with one of my Cabinet members.

In the evening, I held my Ward surgery.

Today I will be catching up and preparing for next week.

I'm also picking my niece and nephews up from school and looking after them until Sunday. I've never had all three of them at once before and I'm not sure how I will keep them occupied!

I will get a reprieve on Saturday when a friend is taking over so that I can to go to the Boro match with my daughter Ellie and my son Paul who is home from Manchester.

I hope you all have a lovely weekend.