24 November 2023

A busy week began meeting with the other Tees Valley Leaders. We regularly meet to discuss issues on a regional level and give updates from each authority.

In the afternoon, I had my regular catch up with Mike Greene, Chief Executive, and Councillor Lisa Evans, Deputy Leader.

On Tuesday morning, I visited Holme House Prison. Later in the day, Mike Greene and I welcomed the Lord-Lieutenant of North Yorkshire, Mrs Johanna Ropner, on her visit to the Borough. We toured Stockton Riverside College and Thornaby Family Hub to showcase what Stockton-on-Tees has to offer our families, before returning to the college to catch up.

Midweek I joined the Collaborative Procurement Sub-committee (CPSC) pre-meeting ahead of the full meeting next Tuesday.

In the evening I attended Council. A busy agenda included the presentation of the Honorary Aldermen of the Borough, recognising the winners of the Social Worker of the Year Awards 2023, and discussing the Review of Polling Districts and Polling Places 2023.

Yesterday, I had my first meeting with senior executives at Alfanar. Alfanar is an energy and engineering company investing in a new £1.5billion plant in Stockton-on-Tees for their Lighthouse Green Fuels Project, which aims to convert up to one million tonnes of household waste into jet fuel every year. The site will be based at the former Air Products site at Port Clarence and is expected to create more than 700 jobs during construction, and around 240 full-time jobs once fully operational. It is a very exciting investment in the Borough and it was a great opportunity to learn more about their plans.

Today, I am attending the Tees Valley Integrated Care Partnership (ICP) Meeting. This afternoon, Mike Green and I are joining a strategic catch-up meeting with Julie Gilhespie, Chief Executive at the Tees Valley Combine Authority (TVCA), and Ben Houchen, Tees Valley Mayor.

At the weekend, I am looking forward to spending time with my family. I will also be keeping an eye on the Middlesbrough game as they travel to Bristol City on Saturday and can hopefully pick up from where they left off following the victory over Leicester a couple of weeks ago. Another win would see Boro closing in on the play-off positions and I am confident they can get the three points.