A message from Cllr Kevin Guy, Leader of Bath & North East Somerset CouncilTuesday November 19 marks 1,000 days since the start of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine and we are flying the Ukrainian flag above the Guildhall as a mark of solidarity. Throughout the conflict our communities have been supporting the people of Ukraine in many ways. We have a Friendship agreement with the city of Oleksandryia which goes from strength to strength and we are proud of the work undertaken locally by the Friends of Oleksandryia group. Our residents continue to provide support to families forced out by the war. Currently there are 60 households which equal 93 people living with host families as part of the Homes for Ukraine scheme. Homes for Ukraine (H4U) is a Government scheme and through it more than 350 Ukrainian guests have found hosts in Bath & North East Somerset. Thank you to everyone for this enormous effort and if you want to consider becoming a host you still can, all the information you need is on our Homes 4Ukraine pages. I am delighted to report the council’s work to support vulnerable households has been recognised. Last Friday our development partner Aequus won the Residential Development Award in the Bath Property Awards. It was for our latest housing scheme which provides high quality temporary accommodation for homeless households, including families. The scheme involved converting a former residential home into shared temporary accommodation which provides safe and supportive housing. Since it opened earlier this year it has helped 31 households. This evening cabinet meets to consider reports on the next steps for the Somer Valley Enterprise Zone, budget monitoring and an ambitious plan setting out a vision for the long-term future of Bath’s unique heritage. You can watch the meeting on our Youtube channel. The Federation of Bath Residents’ Associations (FOBRA) plays an important role in the life of the city and I was pleased to be invited to its annual winter reception where I was able to meet association chairs including Julie Ingerfield (pictured), chair of the Bloomfield Road Residents’ Association. I want to thank the Royal Crescent Society and the Marlborough Lane and Buildings Residents' Association, who have worked with council teams and the promotor Senbla to secure the iconic Royal Crescent for Robbie Williams’ open air concert, announced this week, as part of his 2025 tour. Two years ago the city welcomed Michael Bublé whose Royal Crescent shows gave a huge boost to our local economy and we look forward to giving Robbie an equally warm welcome to our wonderful city next summer. Have a good weekend. | 
