The Director (Communities) provided the Committee with an update on the events that will take place to mark the occasion of the Queens Platinum Jubilee.

In 2022, her Majesty the Queen has become the first British Monarch to celebrate a Platinum Jubilee, marking seventy years of service to the country.

As part of those celebrations, there will be year-long Platinum Jubilee celebrations planned and there is an extended bank holiday, from Thursday 2 to Sunday 5 June.  It is an opportunity for communities and people to come together to celebrate.

Working in conjunction with the horticultural team and the housing directorate the Queen has asked that the country celebrates through the Queen’s Green Canopy which is encouraging organisations, businesses, voluntary groups and councils to create a network of trees that will help support the environment and fight the climate crisis.

As part of that the council has an extensive scheme for Woodlands Park including a sensory garden which will be the first sensory play equipment supplied by the council within the borough and that will replace the broken and unused crazy golf course in Woodlands Park.

Planting of trees in Windmill Hill and the beacon will be replaced and reinstated with a flower bed around the base of the beacon along with new seating in that area and a tree will be planted at the top of Windmill Hill.

Further tree planting schemes will be at Istead Rise and Camer Park.

Thousands of spring bulbs will be planted across the borough and in addition to what we have done during the Remembrance period the horticultural team will be spraying on 80 crowns which will appear in greens spaces around the borough.

The council will also be working with Parish Councils and communities to plant trees at a location of their choice. We are also working with the Social Housing team to find suitable gardens in which to plant a tree. 

The council will host a large street party on 26 May on Community Square. Primary Schools will be invited and residents who were born in 1952 can apply to be invited.  The council will be taking part in the beacon lighting at Windmill Hill and will also light the mobile beacon at the Civic Centre.

The town will be dressed with union flags and bunting as normal for St George’s Day and then further official Platinum Jubilee flags will go up in May. The Community Square will be decorated for the occasion. All planters and hanging baskets will have a red, white and blue theme and a local group, the community group of knitters will be knitting corgis and Queens and they will be left around the borough as little gifts for residents.

There will be a month-long celebration at St George’s Arts Centre with a workshop where residents can learn how to make things for their own street parties.

Members would like to pay tribute to the Queen’s long service on behalf of the borough. That length of service is commendable, and all these events will celebrate the occasion.

The Leader and Members thanked the Officers for all their work developing the Queen’s Green Canopy it will be a real asset to the borough and will create useable space and will fit in with the council’s climate change activities.

The Committee noted the report.