A report published this week outlines the Council?s latest financial position and highlights that a significant gap remains in the authority?s budget due to issues affecting councils across the country, including an increased demand for children?s and adults? social care, rising homelessness presentations and the impact of inflation.?

Demand on council services has been growing with the latest figures showing ?18 million more needed this year alone for children and adult social care and ?3 million for homelessness support.

These are serious challenges which local authorities all over the country face at the moment. Recently 119 council leaders wrote to the Government calling on more support to deal with the growing numbers in need of homeless support or temporary accommodation.

I want to stress though that the council is not ?bankrupt? or insolvent, the organisation has sufficient financial resources at hand to meet all of its current obligations, to pay staff, suppliers and grant recipients.

We remain committed to doing everything we can to put the Council on a stable financial footing for the future.? The report to the Council?s Executive Board on 21 November can be read here.

Yesterday I was pleased to propose and pass the appointment of seven new Honorary Alderman and Alderwoman at a special meeting of Full Council.

The position of Honorary Aldermen is in recognition of the services of long-serving councillors and they provide support to the Civic Office, often conducting tours for visitors of our Council House in Market Square. I was really pleased to appoint seven former councillors to the role:

• Merlita Bryan
• Eunice Campbell-Clark
• Rosemary Jacobs
• Sally Longford
• Anne Peach
• Roger Steel
• Dave Trimble

They bring a wealth of experience of public service to the role and I am pleased they will be able to continue to support and promote our city as they have done for many years.