I spent much of Monday reading reports and preparing for meetings taking place across the next few weeks.  It’s always helpful to have some dedicated preparation time, particularly at a time when there’s a lot happening across the council.  My day ended at a meeting with my council executive colleagues, where we considered the items being tabled at the next Public Executive meeting at the Town Hall.  That agenda has now been published and you can access it here.

On Tuesday I had a few more meetings, including one with the Greater Manchester and High Peak Area Ramblers.  It was good to discuss the wonderful footpaths and trails we have in Trafford and their potential.  During the afternoon I took part in a workshop with other members of our Ambitions for Children Board.  The workshop gave us a chance to reflect on progress we’re making when it comes to supporting our children and young people.  It was good to have this time with partners from health, education, the voluntary sector and the police as we work together to do our best for children and young people in Trafford.

On Wednesday I attended Scrutiny Committee at the Town Hall and was there to respond to a couple of the agenda items.  The first covered the Council’s 2025/26 draft budget proposals, where questions were raised regarding our level of reserves and the council tax referendum limit amongst other things.  I then joined our Director of Cultural Transformation as she provided an update on our Culture Strategy.  The update received some very positive, cross-party feedback which I was delighted to see.  Culture is such an important part of Trafford life, so I am so pleased to see it gaining more attention from a council perspective.

I had a trip out to Trafford Park on Thursday morning where I visited a fuel terminal.  I learnt a lot about the site’s history and infrastructure.  I also asked about the transition to renewable fuel as we look to the future.

Back at the Town Hall I had several meetings, including an opportunity to catch up with Deputy Leader Cath Hynes.  I then headed to Stretford Public Hall for the Trafford Community Collective AGM.  The Community Collective brings together many Voluntary, Community, Faith and Social Enterprise (VCFSE) organisations from across the Borough.  There were a lot of familiar faces at the meeting, and we were fortunate to have three engaging presentations. These focussed on our School Streets initiative, health in the community, and volunteer support provided by our Community Hubs.  The meeting was a reminder of how important our VCFSE sector is in Trafford and the positive difference so many organisations make to people’s lives every day.

On Friday I attended several online meetings but managed to take a trip out on my bike in between.  It was my first proper cycle since having wrist surgery in the summer and I had a chance to cycle along the new lanes along Kingsway!  It was good to be back cycling again for the first time in almost six months.

Finally, this weekend is one of the most important in Trafford’s calendar as we come together to pause and remember the people who have served in our armed forces, defended our freedom and those who paid the ultimate sacrifice.  There are Remembrance Sunday services taking place across Trafford and you can find out about each service here. I will also be at services on Saturday and Armistice Day. Lest we forget.