To receive any announcements from the Mayor.
Minutes:
The Mayor made the following announcements:
“As Mayor of Spelthorne, it is my duty to preside over council meetings and also representing the Council at civic and ceremonial events. Since assuming office as mayor, I have been serving as a dedicated ambassador, engaging with our community and supporting local initiatives. Over the past five months, I had the privilege to participate in a wide range of events and activities within our borough. I am now going to report on the highlights of my key engagements and initiatives undertaken from July to October 2024.
1. Local Businesses
Let me start with local businesses. I strongly believe that fostering growth of small enterprises in our borough is vital to our local economy. Over the past few months, I had the pleasure of officially opening a few new businesses in the borough namely Attic Self Storage in Sunbury, a new facility providing essential services to small businesses and Tadka Indian Restaurant in Staines, a place to explore and enjoy meals with family and friends. I further attended the Spelthorne Business Forum breakfast meeting, where I expressed my gratitude and thank over 50 local business leaders for placing their trust and choosing Spelthorne for doing their business. I also used the opportunity to promote my four nominated charities.
2. Job and Skills Hub
To support our residents to achieving their career goals, I officially opened the Spelthorne Job and Skills Hub to support residents to improve their CV writing, interview skills and find their dream job.
3. Promoting Sports and Leisure.
The last three months, I supported several Sports events. I had the privilege of opening the state-of-the-art Eclipse Leisure Centre in Staines, boasting 200 station gym, 2 swimming pools, sports halls, squash courts and roof top football pitches. Such facility will undoubtedly enhance the quality of life, health and wellbeing of many residents of Spelthorne.
At another event at Spelthorne Eagles Basketball Club, I was proud seeing children given the opportunity to have fun and learn a new sport.
Furthermore, I supported Staines & Lammas FC, and I had the honour of presenting the winning team with a shield.
I was also involved in presenting awards at the Jump Racing event at Kempton Park.
I had the pleasure of attending the Sunbury and Shepperton Amateur Regatta for their annual regatta competition.
All the above events were fantastic opportunities to celebrate local sporting excellence and also bringing our community together.
4. Music in the Park
After sports events, Spelthorne celebrated their 50th Anniversary with Music in the Park events, which was very successful in the summer. This brought joy and harmony to the residents of our borough, thanks to our dedicated Spelthorne Leisure Department Team.
5. Communities and Cultures
My next engagement was to celebrate our Communities and Cultures. I had the opportunity to attend a variety of cultural and community events, the 17th anniversary of NepalBritain.com, where they celebrated the contributions of the Nepali community to British society. Moreover, I was invited to another significant event in Sunbury, the Nepali Mela which attracted over 3,000 residents of the Nepali & Gurka community of Spelthorne and neighbouring areas. It was a great opportunity to engage with Spelthorne diverse community, reaffirming our borough’s commitment to diversity and respect for all cultural expressions.
6. Protection of Environment and Nature
Protection of Environment and Nature is a necessity more than ever, I attended the Surrey Nature Day to raise awareness on the protection of nature within our region. This event highlighted our responsibility to safeguard the environment, and I stressed the importance of collective action in preserving our natural heritage for future generations.
7. Youth Empowerment and Recognition
Another highlight of my activities was to recognize the accomplishments of the young people of Spelthorne. I had the privilege of awarding Bronze, Silver and Gold Awards to nearly 100 participants at the Duke of Edinburgh Award ceremony where I acknowledged the remarkable achievements of our young people. This Duke of Edinburgh programme plays an integral role in shaping the future of Spelthorne’s youth, and I was delighted to celebrate their success. In addition, along with the Rotary Club, I recognised around 30 youths awarded with the Rotary Youth Leadership Awards (RYLA), a programme encouraging future leaders to develop their potential.
8. Promoting the Arts
The Arts are an essential aspect of our community identity, and I was proud to open a public mural painting in Staines near Elmsleigh surface carpark. The mural represents the creativity and artistic spirit of Spelthorne, and I hope, it will be appreciated by all who see it.
9. Networking with Fellow Mayors
I’ve had the opportunity to network with Surrey’s Mayors, sharing ideas and experiences, and collectively learning from one another to improve how we serve our respective communities.
10.Community Engagement
I have been deeply involved in various community engagement activities. From joining Citizens Advice Spelthorne’s Walk at Lammas Park, to visiting Greeno Centre in Shepperton, I’ve had the pleasure of meeting and engaging with a number of active volunteers and staff who make a real difference to the lives of our residents. Their dedication, especially in working with the elderly, deserves our utmost respect and support.
11.Fundraising for Charities
Supporting my four nominated charities has been a key focus, and I’m delighted to report on two very successful fundraising events, the Quiz Night and Curry Night were well-attended and brought our community together to raise much-needed funds for these charities. The next event is the celebration of Festival of Lights which is scheduled on 2nd November at Stanwell Village Hall and I look forward to seeing all members and their families.
12.Twinning
On international front, reviving our International Relations and strengthening Spelthorne’s historical bonds with our twinning towns were one of the most significant initiatives I embarked. I visited Grand Port District Council and worked actively with the Chairman and officers to consolidate our 15 years of friendship. For Melun, I exchanged several emails and had a teams meeting with the Mayor of Melun, his deputy, CEO and associates to rekindle the friendship between our two boroughs.
Looking forward, I am preparing to host the Mayor of Melun and his delegation during their short visit to Spelthorne on the 1st and 2nd of November. The visit will include participation in the Spelthorne Business Award Night, the Festival of Lights, and other activities marking a new chapter in our relationship with Melun. These events will reaffirm our commitment to international friendship and cooperation.
To conclude, the past three months have been an enriching and active period in my role as Mayor of Spelthorne. From supporting businesses and youth, engaging with cultural and environmental initiatives, my focus has been on fostering community unity and promoting Spelthorne’s values. As we move forward, I remain committed to representing our borough with dignity and pride and ensuring that all sections of our community are heard, supported, and celebrated.
I look forward to continuing this important work and advancing the interests of Spelthorne in the months to come”.