Agenda item

Following the election of a new Mayor, Council considered a vote of thanks to the retiring Mayor, Councillor C. Harris.

It was proposed by Councillor Shepherd and seconded by Councillor Forrest that this Council tenders to Councillor Christine Harris its thanks for the service she has provided as Mayor of the Borough of Charnwood and for the way in which she has presided over the Council’s business during the past Council year.  The Council records its gratitude for the manner in which she has maintained the position of the Mayoralty and the work she has done in meeting so many people in the Borough throughout the year.  The Council also extends its thanks to Ms Cynthia Bradley-Stevenson for her service as Mayoress and for the help and support she has provided to the Mayor and for the considerate and committed way in which she has undertaken her role.  The Council assures both Councillor Harris and Ms Bradley-Stevenson that they have the best wishes of all its members for their future health and wellbeing.

In proposing the motion, Councillor Shepherd stated that Councillor Harris had finished her Mayoral year with a flourish, arriving back from a twinning visit only the night before.  In the course of the year she had attended a wide range of engagements, including a visit by the Duke and Duchess of Sussex to Loughborough University, the royal garden party, birthday parties, graduation ceremonies and delivering presentations to 600 school children.  The annual Picnic in the Park event in Loughborough had celebrated the 100th anniversary of women’s suffrage.  The Mayor had attended a number of 100th birthday parties, including for former Mayoress Kathleen Bird.

Councillor Shepherd referred to both Councillor Harris and Ms Bradley-Stevenson having undertaken their duties while suffering from illness and this reinforced the thanks that the Council owed to them.

Councillor Forrest stated that it was a great honour to second the motion.  It had been a busy year for Councillor Harris and she had attended many events across the Borough.  She had had the honour of attending a number of events commemorating the centenary of the end of the First World War, including lighting a beacon for the Scouts at Thorpe Acre as well as the annual service of remembrance at the Carillon in Loughborough.  She had also switched on the Diwali lights and opened the Loughborough Fair.  During the year she had probably met thousands of people through visits to schools, businesses, Loughborough University, festivals and many other events.  As always, Christmas was a busy year for the Mayor, and she stated that the civic carol service was an inspiring event.  Councillor Harris had visited three of Loughborough’s twin towns in Europe and had received visitors from two of them.

Councillor Forrest also referred to the ill health of the Ms Bradley-Stevenson, which had meant that she had been unable to attend as many events as she had wished to.  Councillor Forrest invited councillors to wish her a speedy recovery.  She stated that thanks were also due to Councillor Keith Harris for stepping in to support the Mayor during the year.

Following the above speeches, the Mayor put the motion to the vote and it was

UNANIMOUSLY RESOLVED that this Council tenders to Councillor Christine Harris its thanks for the service she has provided as Mayor of the Borough of Charnwood and for the way in which she has presided over the Council’s business during the past Council year.  The Council records its gratitude for the manner in which she has maintained the position of the Mayoralty and the work she has done in meeting so many people in the Borough throughout the year.  The Council also extends its thanks to Ms Cynthia Bradley-Stevenson for her service as Mayoress and for the help and support she has provided to the Mayor and for the considerate and committed way in which she has undertaken her role.  The Council assures both Councillor Harris and Ms Bradley-Stevenson that they have the best wishes of all its members for their future health and wellbeing.

Following this, Councillor C. Harris responded by thanking Councillor Shepherd and Councillor Forrest for their kind words.  She also thanked Ms Bradley-Stevenson for her support as Mayoress and expressed her gratitude to her for taking on that role.  She also stated that the Council’s officers had been excellent.  It had been an amazing year and she had learned so much about the residents of the Borough and the wonderful work done by volunteers and organisations to support people in the Borough.  She had been very pleased to be able to speak with the people doing that work who gave so much of their time.  She also referred to the money that had been raised for her charities during the year.  She concluded by saying that she was very happy to have been asked to be Mayor, especially because of her family’s roots in Loughborough.