Agenda and minutes

1.1             Apologies for absence were received from Councillors G F Blackwell, J H Evetts, C L J Carter, D J Harwood, E J MacTiernan, C Mills, J Mills, H C Munro, P W Ockelton, C Reid, P E Smith, R J G Smith and R J Stanley.

To elect a Mayor for the Borough for the ensuing year.   

2.1             With the retiring Mayor, Councillor Andrew Reece, in the chair, it was proposed by Councillor Jim Mason and seconded by Councillor David Gray, that Councillor John Murphy be, and is hereby elected, Mayor of the Borough of Tewkesbury for the ensuing Municipal Year.

2.2             On the Motion being put to the meeting it was declared to be carried, whereupon the Mayor took the chair, signed the Declaration of Acceptance of Office and took the Oath of Allegiance to Her Majesty the Queen.  

2.3             In thanking Members for the honour and privilege of being elected Mayor of the Borough of Tewkesbury, Councillor Murphy announced that his Chaplain would be Canon Reverend Paul Williams of Tewkesbury Abbey and his Mayoress would be his wife, Anne. He indicated that he was delighted to reveal the organisations to be supported by his charity fund for the year would be WAM (We all Matter) Youth which was a voluntary organisation based in Winchcombe that encouraged young people to be confident in their identity and build resilience for life. It ran a variety of projects and services aimed at building and strengthening positive and supportive relationships within the community including youth groups and projects, mentoring, outdoor education and after school clubs; and Sue Ryder Hospice – Leckhampton which was a very well-known hospice locally that supported people and their families through the most difficult times giving compassion and care to help them live the best life they possibly could.

2.4             The Mayor indicated that he and his Mayoress were looking forward to representing the Council at events across the Borough and would enjoy meeting and engaging with people from all areas. He undertook to perform the important role of Mayor to the very best of his ability.

3.1             Councillor Rob Bird expressed the Council’s thanks to Councillor Reece for his service to the Borough. The role of Mayor was quite onerous with the number of events but Councillor Reece had taken to his duties with enthusiasm, humour and gravitas. Councillor Bird felt Councillor Reece had been a wonderful ambassador for the Borough thanks to his natural desire to engage. Despite the strange 12 months of difficulties meaning a number of normal events and duties had not taken place he knew Councillor Reece had still thoroughly enjoyed his time as Mayor and the Council had benefited from the way he had championed the Borough.

3.2             Councillor Reece thanked Councillor Bird for his words of thanks and expressed what a privilege it had been to be Mayor, despite the best efforts of a global pandemic. He had enjoyed attending the wide variety of events he had been invited to and meeting the people who worked passionately for the Borough. He had thoroughly enjoyed welcoming back the Mop Fair to Tewkesbury and attending events such as the ARRC Christmas Carol service and dinner with the Honourable Company of Gloucestershire; however, it was the local events which he would treasure the most such as reopening the Post Office in the village in which he had grown up, reopening a local elderly persons care home, judging the fancy dress at a local village fete and reopening the local pub. The organisations his charity fund had supported during the year were Scoo-B-Doo and Severn Area Rescue Association (SARA) and he hoped to be able to advise them of the funds he had raised shortly.

3.3             Finally, Councillor Reece advised that Reverend Wendy Ruffle’s time as the Borough Mayor’s Chaplain had come to an end as she had announced her intention to retire. He thanked her for the many years she had undertaken the role for the Council – actually since 2013 with a one-year break - and indicated what a  pleasure it had been for him, and the Mayors before him, to have had her as their Chaplain.  He offered his thanks on behalf of the Council and presented a gift and bouquet of flowers as a small token of the Council’s thanks and best wishes for her future endeavours, wherever they may take her.

3.4             The Worshipful the Mayor, Councillor John Murphy, presented Councillor Andrew Reece with a Past Mayor’s Badge and the Mayor’s Officer presented Mrs Murphy with the Mayoress’ Badge of Office.

To appoint a Deputy Mayor for the Borough for the ensuing year.  

4.1             It was proposed by Councillor Rob Bird, and seconded by Councillor Bob East, that Councillor Andrew Reece be, and is hereby appointed, Deputy Mayor of the Borough of Tewkesbury for the ensuing Municipal Year.

4.2             The Motion was put to the meeting and was carried.

4.3             Councillor Reece expressed thanks to his fellow Councillors for their support and indicated that he looked forward to supporting the Mayor during the year.

4.4             Councillor Reece accepted the Mayor’s Badge of Office and signed the Declaration of Acceptance of Office.  

4.5             Flowers were presented to the new Mayoress and to Mrs Reece who had been a great support to Councillor Reece during time as Mayor.

5.1             Upon the Motion of the Mayor, the meeting of the Council stood adjourned until Tuesday 17 May 2022 at 6.00pm.   

6.1             The meeting then resumed in the Severn Room of the Tewkesbury Borough Council Offices, Gloucester Road, Tewkesbury on Tuesday 17 May 2022, when the attendance was as follows: