Minutes:
The Mayor stated that he wished to speak about the following
issues:
COVID 19
The Mayor stated that although COVID rates were high in the
town at the moment, over the previous 7 days, the infection rates appeared to
have stabilised. The Government were in conversations with the North East
Councils regarding the requirement to proceed to Tier 3 of the lockdown
arrangements. There was a risk that the Government would try and put
Middlesbrough into Tier 3. He stated that the Council need to converse with the
Government and if the Government provided evidence to support this course of
action, then the Council would support it. The Mayor confirmed that there had
been no contact with Middlesbrough so far from anyone from the Government.
The Mayor stated that his biggest concern was jobs. There
was a financial and social cost to the loss of jobs. He stated that the Council
and the Government needed to fight to keep jobs.
Boho X
The Mayor commented on Boho X.
Homes
The Mayor advised that the Thirteen group had announced that
they were planning to build 295 homes in Grove Hill. The Mayor also referred to
planning permission for 145 high quality homes in Gresham that had recently
been approved. He stated that there would be further building on brownfield land.
Crime
The Mayor announced that crime was steadily falling. The
Police were getting support from Middlesbrough Council and were doing a better
job but more needed to be done. The drug dealers were being challenged but he
urged residents to report street dealing.
Children's Services
The Mayor announced that after 10 years of decline and
receiving bad Ofsted reports, Children's Services was improving and he thanked
the Deputy Mayor and the Executive Director of Children's Services for their
hard work in bringing about these improvements.
Centre Square
The Mayor thanked officers for their work in bringing
businesses to Centre Square which would bring more business and leisure to the
town and an increase in people living in the town.
Councillor M Storey advised that he agreed that officers
should be congratulated for their work on Centre Square. He stated that he
particularly wanted to thank Kevin Parkes, the Executive Director for Growth
and Place, who had recently retired from the Council after 17 years, as he had
brought about huge economic regeneration in the town.
Councillor Storey stated that the Government had failed to
provide adequate funding to the Council. In terms of the COVID pandemic, the
local Public Health teams knew what Middlesbrough needed they just required the
resources to be made available to ensure that it was deliverable.
The Mayor acknowledged the work carried out by Kevin Parkes,
the former Executive Director for Growth and Place.
Councillor Cooke responded to an earlier comment regarding
the lack of Youth services in the town and advised that he had worked with 3
organisations involving young people.
Councillor Cooke stated that he would like to see more
capital invested in properties that were derelict or that had neglectful
landlords who were letting properties become run down.
Where the Council was building new houses, it was important
that the rest of the area was viable and by working on derelict property, it
would improve the area and there could be job or apprenticeship opportunities.
The Mayor advised that work was ongoing in relation to this area and he invited Councillor Cooke to meet to discuss the issue.