Getting rather handy on the gavel!
THE main duty of the Mayor is to preside over principal meetings of the Council. This is a legal role and a requirement of the Local Government Act 1972 schedule 12 paragraph 5 (1). I chaired my first full council meeting in July which was a daunting and challenging event.
Being a councillor for many years I have attended and spoken at many council meetings, it’s certainly different when you are sat in the Mayor’s Chair dressed in robes, wearing the chain of office, with the CEO sat on one side of you and the Head of Legal services at the other, both giving valuable advice when needed.
Elected Members can get a bit out of hand when passions arise. Early on in this meeting I was banging the gavel hard to bring them to order. I must admit I rather enjoyed that. The first debate was a motion regarding Climate Change which is very topical and more or less got cross party support. The whole meeting did then run fairly smoothly, with just a couple of hiccups, possibly more gavel will be needed next time!
July has been a very busy month which included several visits to local schools, watching plays, giving out sports certificates and attending school assemblies that revolved around the pupils of year six moving to secondary education in September.
I must mention the production of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory performed by the children of Castleton Primary School. It was scrumdidlyumptious and a credit to everyone involved. It just shows that hard work really does pay off and the year six pupils had really worked hard.
We also received in the Mayor’s parlour the St Gabriel’s school choir who sang at the Mayor making ceremony. They had a tour of the Town Hall including a question and answer session in the Council Chambers. This was a thank you visit for helping making my installation very special.
Rochdale Children’s Literature festival in the Central library was a delight. Children actually reading books and meeting real authors. Not a tablet in sight! The festival was the brilliant idea of Clare McGreevy, an inspirational teacher from Lowerplace Primary school. The Mayoress and I really enjoyed ourselves, and I personally got the chance to read to a group of very young children something that I had not done for years. This festival must, in my opinion, become an annual event.
Other Highlights, of a very busy month, included the judging of our Local Townships, in the annual North West in Bloom competition. Also in another category judging the many individual entries in the ‘In Your Neighbourhood’ section. The results will be announced late October. So fingers crossed these will be as amazing as last year. Even though I am very busy with Mayoral duties I still find some time to look after the flowers on Castleton Railway station which is my annual contribution to In Bloom for Rochdale. Tatton Park RHS flower show was graced by the gardeners of Petrus. Rachel Bennion designed a back to back garden suitably named Petrus Paradise which reflected the journey that the homeless had travelled finding refuge and hope at Petrus. It won a silver medal and even better it won the Public Choice Competition. What a wonderful reward for a first time effort.
The Mayoress and I will have been involved in 53 appointments during July, ranging from visiting local businesses, festivals and fundraising events; we have enjoyed them all.
We have met dedicated volunteers, who make such a difference, improving the ‘quality of life’ for many; they will always have our support.
We are looking forward to August and meeting many more special people that live in our borough.