ELECTION OF MAYOR
To elect the Mayor for the Municipal Year 2024/25.
Minutes:
The Mayor presented a Long Service Award to Councillor Robin Parker in recognition of his 40 years of service to the Town and the Council.
The Mayor then welcomed all Members, in particular the newly elected Members, to the meeting. She then gave a speech thanking the Council for a wonderful year in office, during the 50th anniversary year for the Council. She informed Council that it had been a great honour to have been able to serve the Town as its Mayor and she recounted some of the highlights of her year, which included Chairing the Council meetings
The Mayor then thanked her son John Arceno who had been her Consort for the year, her husband Joseph for his support along with work colleagues from the NHS and the many community groups she had dealt with during the course of the year. The Mayor then thanked colleagues across the Council and the Council Officers who had helped her throughout her year in office, particularly the Mayor’s PA Tracey Frost and Members’ Services officer Sheila Scrivens. The Mayor reminded Council that she had undertaken 366 engagements during the course of the year and had raised £11,500 for her charities. The Mayor was pleased to advise that she would continue to be a Dementia Champion for the Council and ensure Stevenage remained a dementia friendly Town.
The Mayor then asked for nominations for the Office of Mayor for 2024/25.
Councillor Richard Henry nominated Councillor Jim Brown for the Office of Mayor. In nominating Councillor Brown, Councillor Henry informed the Council that Cllr Brown was a keen runner and cyclist and had run more than 60 marathons. He was also a board member of Cycling UK and had been a Governor at Marriotts School for almost thirty years.
The nomination was seconded by Councillor Simon Speller.
There being no other nominations, a vote was taken and it was RESOLVED that Councillor Jim Brown be elected as Mayor for the 2024/25 Municipal Year.
Councillor Jim Brown then made the statutory declaration of office.
The Mayor then announced that Penny Schenkel would be the Mayoress for 2024/25.
The Mayor thanked the Council for his election and all his guests for their attendance at the meeting. He particularly mentioned the diverse make-up of the Council following the recent elections. He then gave an inaugural speech, including the announcement that his chosen charities for the year were about sport and active recreation; the arts and music; and social inclusion:
· Stevenage Arts Guild;
· Hertfordshire Sports Partnership and
· People for People.