Agenda item

a)    Roger Wilson

To invite members to pay tribute to Cllr Roger Wilson who passed away on 8 December 2019.  A memorial service will be held at 2.30pm on 25 February 2020 at St Peter’s Winchcombe, and afterwards at Toddington Village Hall.  At the end of the tributes, members will be asked to stand in silence as a mark respect for Roger.

b)    Terry Glastonbury

To stand in silence as a mark of respect for Cllr Terry Glastonbury who passed away on 9 December 2019.  Terry was a county councillor from 2009 to 2013, representing the West Dean Division in the Forest of Dean.  Terry was a longstanding member of the Forest of Dean District Council, serving as Chair of Council and Chair of the Planning Committee.  

c)    Queen’s New Year Honours

To congratulate the people living in Gloucestershire who received awards as part of the Queen’s New Year Honours.  The Chairman of the Council has written to the individuals included in the list attached to the agenda congratulating them on their awards.

d)    Australian bushfires

The Chairman to advise that he has written to the Australian High Commissioner to the United Kingdom to express the Council’s sympathy at the loss of life following the devastating bush fires and to send best wishes to the people of Australia affected by the fires. 

e)    Holocaust Memorial Day

On 27 January 2020, members and staff attended a short memorial service at Shire Hall to remember all the victims of the Holocaust and other genocides that have taken place throughout the world. The day marked the 75th anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz-Birkenau.

Councillor Colin Hay led the service by sharing his experience at Srebrenica. Group Leaders signed a statement for the Council’s adoption of the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (HRA) Working Definition of Antisemitism.

f)     Glos Talks

The Glos Talks Campaign encourages everyone to talk more openly about mental health and their experiences so those who are struggling will seek help.  Members are invited to have their photographs taken with the Glos Talks ‘selfie frame’ on the Council Chamber landing at lunchtime.

g)    Members’ survey

Members are encouraged to complete the survey that has been circulated via Members’ Matter.  This will provide valuable feedback on member development and ICT provision. Paper copies will be available from Democratic Services staff at the meeting. 

h)   ICT support

Staff from ICT will be on hand over the lunch break to provide advice to members.

a)    Roger Wilson

Group Leaders and other members paid personal tributes to Cllr Roger Wilson who sadly passed away on 8 December 2019.  They referred to Roger’s qualities and his commitment to and enthusiasm for the Council and his desire to improve services for the people of Gloucestershire. They noted that he was held in high regard by the wider health community for his work in driving forward the ambitions of the Gloucestershire Health and Wellbeing Board.  His financial acumen and knowledge had allowed him to constructively challenge the way services were provided.  Roger was committed to serving the people of Winchcombe and Woodmancote whom he had represented since his election in May 2013.  Outside the Council, he was passionate about his role as a member, and latterly as chair, of the Bournville Village Trust which managed award winning social housing in the Midlands.     

A memorial service would be held at 2.30pm on 25 February 2020 at St Peter’s Winchcombe, and afterwards at Toddington Village Hall.

b)    Terry Glastonbury

Cllrs Alan Preest, Terry Hale and Graham Morgan paid tribute to former county councillor Terry Glastonbury who represented the West Dean Division in the Forest of Dean from 2009 to 2013.  Terry was a longstanding member of the Forest of Dean District Council, serving as Chair of Council and Chair of the Planning Committee, and had also served as a member of both West Dean Parish Council and Lydney Town Council.

The Chairman invited members to stand in silence as a mark of respect for both Roger Wilson and Terry Glastonbury.

c)    Queen’s New Year Honours

The Chairman congratulated the people living in Gloucestershire who had received awards as part of the Queen’s New Year Honours.  He said that he had written to the individuals included in the list attached to the agenda congratulating them on their awards.

d)    Australian bushfires

The Chairman advised that he had written to the Australian High Commissioner to the United Kingdom to express the Council’s sympathy at the loss of life following the devastating bush fires and to send best wishes to the people of Australia affected by the fires. 

e)    Holocaust Memorial Day

On 27 January 2020, members and staff had attended a short memorial service at Shire Hall to remember the victims of the Holocaust and other genocides.  The day marked the 75th anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz-Birkenau. Councillor Colin Hay led the service by sharing his experience at Srebrenica. Group Leaders signed a statement for the Council’s adoption of the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (HRA) Working Definition of Antisemitism.

f)     Glos Talks

The Glos Talks Campaign encouraged everyone to talk more openly about mental health and their experiences so those who were struggling would seek help.  Members were invited to have their photographs taken with the Glos Talks ‘selfie frame’ on the Council Chamber landing at lunchtime.

g)    Members’ survey

Members were encouraged to complete the survey that had been circulated via Members’ Matter.  This would provide valuable feedback on member development and ICT provision.

h)   ICT support

Staff from ICT would be on hand over the lunch break to provide advice to members.

i)     Prism – GCC staff network

The Chairman congratulated Prism on receiving the Stonewall ‘Network Group of the Year’ for their work in promoting LGBT+ equality throughout the Council.