To include Mayor’s
Outgoing speech
Minutes:
The outgoing Mayor, Councillor Chandler, referred to
(a) taking on the role as Mayor with pride and
reported on the enjoyable year she had experienced;
(b) the centenaries of the RAF, the Defence
Animal Training Regiment here in Melton, the Armistice, the National Farmers’
Union opening in Melton and the celebration marking 70 years since the Polish
Community first arrived at Ashby Folville before
settling on Sandy Lane. All were
celebrated by occasions that would last in the memory, as would the enjoyable
visits to local schools, clubs and associations all run by an army of
volunteers, who in many cases did not receive the recognition they
deserved. She was determined that her
Mayoral awards should reflect the part these people played in the community;
(c) being taken back by the number of
organisations who valued the role of the Mayor, and requested her presence at
their functions. The withdrawal of the
Civic Officer would most certainly change the way the Mayoral diary was
administered with far more responsibility being placed on the Mayor in
accepting and carrying out engagements in addition to the customary thank you
letters afterwards;
(d) many were aware of her concerns that the
Council undersold both Melton and the surrounding Borough. She felt the Council had to make this one of its priorities as the
lost revenue from tourism would certainly boost the local economy. A couple of weeks previously the Melton Town
Centre was the finish of the International Classic Cycle Road Race. Teams from 8 different countries took part,
an American winning the 198.5 km course out of 180 or so other riders. She added that there was nothing going on in
the town centre to attract families and she had heard other towns made more
effort for this event. The ladies race
was scheduled for June, when again top international riders would be competing,
nothing appeared to be planned at this stage to promote that event. Credit had to go to Matthew O’ Callaghan who
brought people into the area with his organisation of both the Pie Festival
& Cheese Fair;
(e) also promoting the Bottesford area. She had been invited to address the Melton in
Bloom AGM and answered questions which again related to why the Council did not promote itself
better. She felt the Council had to do
more to promote the Borough as well as such organisations as Melton in Bloom
who worked tirelessly tending to the area around Parkside in addition to
several other prominent areas around the Town Centre and also referred to some
recent vandalism of the Heritage Area immediately adjacent to Parkside;
(f)
being
invited to witness Councillor Pam Posnett MBE invested as Chairman of
Leicestershire County Council and that this was an honour for both Pam and
Melton;
(g) her appreciation of her Deputy, Tom Greenow,
and that of his wife and that due to personal commitments was not able to
attend the meeting. She added that she had
sent flowers to him and his wife with best wishes to both of them and their
young family for the future;
(h) her appreciation of the Mayor’s Cadet,
Sergeant Olivia Brown, who had acted impeccably whenever called upon;
(i)
her
appreciation of her Mayoral support over the past couple of months by the
Democratic Services Team of Sarah,
Catherine and Helen. She referred to the
Council Meeting being the last for Sarah Evans as she would be leaving the
Council next month and on behalf of all Councillors, she wished her well for
the future;
(j)
a debt
of gratitude to two friends from Bottesford who had at times accompanied her to
events in other Boroughs and expressed the greatest thanks to Councillor Elaine
Holmes who was unable to be at the meeting but said she had been a wonderful
companion and she felt she had enjoyed the year and had always been great
company;
(k) the previous decision of the Council to
reduce Mayoral engagements and to not take part in Armed Forces Day and was
pleased that this decision had been overturned at the last Council
meeting.