New mayor looks to exciting civic year
THE BOROUGH’S new first citizen accepted his chains of office for the coming year at the traditional mayor-making ceremony.
It was one of the highlights of the civic year when Councillor Ozzy O’Shea took over as Mayor of Hinckley and Bosworth at the authority’s annual meeting.
Outgoing mayor, Councillor Richard Allen was gracious in the handover after a enjoying successful year himself.
Cllr O’Shea, is married to Jenny and represents Ratby, Bagworth and Thornton. A Conservative councillor, he was first elected in 2007.
He is also a Leicestershire County Councillor, newly reelected and also chosen to stand as vice-chairman of the county council for the next 12 months.
Cllr O’Shea said: “I feel very proud and honoured the council and the public have put their faith in me. I’m looking forward to meeting a variety of people across the borough and working with agencies and charities and helping provide a link to the council. I want to be not just a mayor but a community advocate.”
A police officer of 31 years Cllr O’Shea took retirement only to return to Leicestershire Constabulary to work in the force’s operations room, job-sharing since 2007 and only finally stepping down last August after a total of 43 years.
He and Jenny recently celebrated their 40th wedding anniversary and have four children and nine grandchildren.
During his term Cllr O’Shea will be supporting two charities very close to his heart - the Motor Neurone Disease Association (MND) and the Gurney Fund, a charity supporting widows and dependants of police officers killed on duty.
He said: “I lost my father to motor neurone disease in 1991 and since then two of my police colleagues have died of the disease at very young ages, only in their 40s. It is not a well known illness and people still don’t really understand very much about it. Most people only recognise it when you say [actor] David Niven had it.
“The police charity offers vital support to women and children left behind when an officer has been struck down while on duty. It can be financially or it can be counselling but it’s a great comfort knowing there is somewhere to turn.”
The new mayor’s chaplain is Reverend Robin Pollard of St Peter’s RC Church, Hinckley.
Away from the police and the council, Cllr O’Shea served 28 years as a school governor at Alderman Richard Hallam Primary School in Leicester. He has been a keen caravanner for the past 35 years and enjoys walking.
His first mayoral undertaking was the Mencap charity fair held at the Hinckley headquarters on Saturday.
During the annual meeting Cllr Jan Kirby and husband Mike were chosen as the deputy mayor and consort.