6 December 2024

My week began with the North East Regional Employers' Organisation (NEREO) Executive Committee meeting. NEREO provides support to the Council and other local authorities in the North East with everything employee-related, from recruitment and HR to management.

In the evening, I attended an informal meeting with other members of the Council's Cabinet to discuss the agenda for next week's Cabinet meeting. A busy agenda includes the Inclusive Growth Strategy, the Strategic Asset Management Plan, and an update on the Medium Term Financial Plan (MTFP).

On Tuesday, I travelled to the Northern Design Centre in Gateshead for the NEPO Collaborative Procurement Committee, for which I am Chair. NEPO works in partnership with the twelve North East Local Authorities to secure quality services and goods which are good value for money.

Midweek, I joined Garry Cummings, Director of Finance, Transformation and Performance, and other senior colleagues from the directorate for a portfolio briefing. We discussed the Council's Policy Statement, pensions and Council Tax collection, amongst other items.

Yesterday I attended the Mayor's Carol Service at Stockton Parish Church. The annual event invites children from schools across the Borough to give special performances of carols and showcase their excellent singing talents. If you're feeling festive, don't miss out on Stockton Sparkles - the Christmas Market runs Friday 6 to Sunday 8 December, with the Lantern Parade on the Sunday. Find the full Stockton Sparkles schedule here.

Today is a quieter day, giving me the opportunity to catch up with important paperwork and other items.

This weekend, I'll be spending some quality time relaxing with my family. Middlesbrough pulled off a confident win at home against Hull last weekend to bounce back from their Blackburn loss. Tonight we play 2nd place Burnley in a match which I'm sure will be fiercely contested with both teams eyeing the three points.