Agenda item

A report is to be presented in pursuance of the provisions of Section 249 (1) of the Local Government Act 1972. The Council is requested to consider conferring the title of Honorary Alderman to one of its former long-serving Councillors, Gerald Edward Botterill.

Before the introduction of the report, the Mayor informed Council that there was an error in the report. At section 4.2, it states that the Council had previously conferred honorary alderman status to four individuals, however it was five. The name omitted was Mr John Croome, who was conferred the status in 1977.

 

The Leader provided a brief introduction to the report.

 

Cllr de Burle moved the recommendations in the report and made the following speech:

 

“We are here to consider the proposal to appoint an honorary alderman for the borough of Melton Mowbray. Members the conferring of the title of honorary alderman is to give recognition to a previous councillor who, over a period of time, has made a significant contribution to the Council and to the community in which they have served. Tonight, it gives me the greatest of pleasure to be proposing that conferral to a gentleman who I admire, respect and holding great esteem and who meets all the criteria for the appointment, Mr Gerald Botterill.

 

Gerald has lived and farmed in the Borough his whole life. He has served as a member of the parish council for many years and, for decades, as a respected member of the Borough Council. Many Members will remember him as a member of the Planning Committee, a quiet gentleman, a man who [has] not given to shows of flamboyance or self-promotion, a man who said it as he saw it and didn't waste words, a good man. Notwithstanding that, Gerald's contribution was considerable.

 

I ask you to look a little further back to the 60s 70s and 80s his earlier days at Melton Borough Council, over 30 years ago Melton Mowbray was a very different place. A market town in the centre of a very productive farming community. The cattle market was what made the town, it brought people and money from all over the country and it was that money which supported the prosperity of the town and the retail enterprises within it. It was what the town was built on [and] as a farmer Gerald recognised that things were changing. That if the town was to survive and prosper, the market had to evolve to reflect changing trends and patterns in agriculture especially livestock sales. He became a borough councillor and using his knowledge of farming together with others played a major role in the redevelopment of the market. The market which kept Melton town and its rural community alive. Members, I believe that contribution alone should be sufficient for recognition but there is more even.

 

Though Gerald is no longer a councillor he is still working as an ambassador for the borough of Melton Mowbray through his farming success, forged over many years with the […] geese. Some may not be aware but the business that Gerald created during his years as a farmer at Croxton Kerrail is famous across the world, the business […] brings wealth to Melton Mowbray, […] the Borough as a whole [and] it flies the great British flag proudly across the world. The pictures of his geese on national TV and in the national press put Melton on the map and draws tourists and others from all over the world to our rural capital of food.

 

I believe [that] if anyone is worthy of this position it is Mr Gerald Botterill, a true gentleman, who I know will be an exemplary ambassador for the Borough of Melton Mowbray. Members, I move the motion that Mr Gerald Botterill, will be adopted as an honorary alderman for the Borough of Melton Mowbray, thank you.”

 

The Deputy Leader seconded the motion and gave the following speech:

 

“[…] I [do] not agree with the method of choosing an honorary alderman […] I cannot though, disagree with [the] outcome. Gerald Botterill had already had four years on the Council by the time I'd arrived and I remember well [in] my early group meetings, upstairs in the Conservative Club, where he and Gerry Green would puff away on their pipes and I would return none the wiser about what was being discussed but reeking of tobacco smoke, so much so that all my clothes had [to] be washed.

 

I had the neighbouring ward to Gerald and, as some of you know, I’ve never understood the planning process and luckily I do not have many difficult applications in my ward but if one did occur I would contact Gerald and he would come and discuss in his down to earth manner, the intricacies of the application and I was always so grateful.

 

When I was leader, I had two main reasons to be thankful to him. Firstly, [and] it is hard to believe now but changing the method of waste collection and recycling was incredibly controversial and the introduction of wheelie bins was opposed by so many, especially the then editor of the Melton Times, who I did not have an easy relationship with. Gerald was on the Waste Management Task Group and again he's calm, knowledgeable arguments gave me the confidence to pursue their introduction. Waste collection is always controversial, each Leader needs a rock like Gerald to lean on for confidence.

 

Secondly, when I became Leader of the Council, after a short period of opposition, he rang me up the morning after my election and I asked him to come over and see me that morning over a cup of coffee to explained to me how, without investment, our cattle market would die. What we needed was a new sheepshead and because Gerald was someone whose judgment I had confidence in, we went for it. Again so much opposition from political opponents who claimed that because he was a farmer and knew what he was talking about, he should be banned from speaking about it. The opponents also said that we should save money by having a smaller shed. Gerald is responsible for that sheepshead and thereby one of the greatest assets the market, the Council and Melton has.

 

Gerald was […] the epitome of what a good Councillor from a rural ward should be. He did not crave the limelight, his natural default was conservatism, but common sense took precedence. He was so respected by all the parish councils, he was a countryman who lived and worked in his ward, work that he loves. He runs an incredibly successful business and brought that knowledge to meetings. I cannot say that I always agreed with him, but I can say we always agreed to disagree and moved on. Whilst of course Gerald was always content and happy, with a twinkle in his eye, he would always be the first to acknowledge that basically he was a family man and acknowledged the debt he owed to his late wife Ann, his son Richard and his son Charles, who was so tragically killed. I have no hesitation in seconding the proposal that Gerald Botterill will become an alderman of the Borough of Melton. Thank you.”

 

RESOLVED

 

Council

 

1.       APPROVED that, in pursuance of the provisions of Section 249 (1) of the Local Government Act 1972, the Council confers the status of Honorary Alderman to Gerald Edward Botterill.

 

2.       APPROVED that, in accordance with Mr Botterill’s wishes, the title will be conferred at the Council meeting on 17 March 2022.

 

3.       APPROVED that, once status is conferred, the recipient and their guest be invited to Civic and Ceremonial events as guests of the Council and the recipient’s name be added to the ‘Roll of Honour’ Board displayed at the Council’s Offices.

 

(Unanimous)