Annual Meeting 17th April 2012

HARWICH TOWN COUNCIL
Guildhall, Church Street, Harwich CO12 3DS

MINUTES OF THE ANNUAL PARISH MEETING OF HARWICH TOWN COUNCIL

HELD AT LONG MEADOWS COMMUNITY CENTRE, DOVERCOURT on
TUESDAY 17th APRIL 2012 at 7.17pm

Present: Councillors B Brown (in the Chair), C Callender, R Callender, Calver, Day, Double, Gibbins, I Henderson, J Henderson, King, Mcleod, Thompson, Todd and Thurlow

Clerk, Mrs L Ballard

Also present: 0 members of the press and 2 members of the public

APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE
Apologies for absence were received from Councillor Flavell.

MINUTES OF THE LAST MEETING
RESOLVED: that the minutes of the Annual Parish meeting held on Tuesday

19th April 2011 (previously circulated) be approved, and signed by the Chairman as a true record.

QUESTIONS FROM MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC
A question was asked of councillors if they had thought about going outside of the Council for a Mayor, suggesting other members of the community that do good for the public. Reference was made to the current High Steward, Chris Strachan, who is not a member of the Council.

Cllr Calver confirmed that according to the Representation of People Act, only a Chairman, as a member of Council, may be entitled to be called Mayor and therefore rules out non-members. It was further confirmed that the Mayor, as a member, has voting rights, which would not apply if they were a non-member. The High Steward position is different in that it’s an honorary position for life.

The questioner mentioned that many cities are moving away from electing Mayors from Council members. Cllr Double confirmed the reason being that these were principal authorities and not parish or town councils.

Cllr Brown thanked members of the public for their loyalty in attending.

The Chairman closed the meeting at 7.29pm