Despite COVID restrictions still in place across the country, and the virus starting to spread again, the Government now requires us to stop virtual meetings and return to holding all our meetings in public. So, for all of us who serve in local authorities and for all our staff who so staunchly help us run our councils, we have to take a risk that no other branch of government is asked to, meet in person and meet in public. If we don't, then the services we supply will grind to a halt and the people we were elected to serve will pay the price.

  Thanks to everyone's hard work and with fantastic support from the people of Bassetlaw, we now have one of the lowest COVID infection rates in the region. In the last week alone infections here have dropped by 30%, but we don't live under the illusion that COVID is no longer a threat. We have a duty to our electorate to maintain these low levels. There is no doubt that unless we handle future council meetings carefully, this mandate from Westminster will threaten our ability to do that.