To receive any announcements.
Minutes:
The Chairman welcomed Members, Officers and the public to the meeting and reminded everyone that the meeting was being webcast.
He advised that this was the last Council meeting to be attended by Philip Gregory, Head of Strategic Finance and Property. He wished him well for the future. He also welcomed his replacement, Isabel Brittain, to her first Council meeting.
The Chairman expressed his delight to welcome three special local residents who had been recognised in the Queen’s 2017 New Year Honours List and were in attendance at the meeting. He introduced Janet Bird, Diane Croston and Diana Gee.
Janet Bird had received a BEM for services to the community. For 20 years, Janet Bird had been organising and managing Christmas Alone, a superb group that provided lunch, entertainment and friendship at Sele School for people on Christmas Day. For those who could not travel to the school, volunteers delivered a meal and company to their home instead. Janet was also one of the founders of the Hertford food bank, reaching out to people in crisis because of cash flow problems. She was also Chairman of Hertfordshire Convalescent Trust which provided grants for people who could not afford a holiday.
Diane Croston had received a BEM for services to education. This was recognition for all the hard work and passion that she had shown at Morgans school in her four years as Chair of Governors. Diane had helped support the staff, children and families and her education background had enabled her to share her experience and skills in creating the happy, stimulating learning environment that was Morgans school.
Diana Gee had received a BEM for services to the community in Hunsdon. She had lived in Hunsdon for the past 35 years. As a former nurse, she had dedicated 30 years to voluntary service with regional and national charities, notably Save The Children and Isabel Hospice. She had been an integral member of the hospice shop in Bishop’s Stortford and for more than a decade had acted as Chairman of the Hunsdon over-three score club, a charity that organised trips, activities and lunches for people over the age of sixty. As a nurse, Diana had worked for more than 12 years at the North Middlesex hospital. It was also her role as a former nurse and until recently a member of the Much Hadham GP patient group that had allowed her to offer support to people throughout the community who struggled with various medical problems.
The Chairman invited each award recipient to come forward and receive a certificate in recognition of their achievements.
The Chairman also referred to other East Herts residents who had been honoured but were unable to attend the meeting. Reginald Smith, better known as Marty Wilde, Cynthia Stroud, the dynamic founder of Pretty Gorgeous Cakes in Hertford, and Jonathan Russell, a civil servant of 28 years’ standing who had demonstrated his commitment to public service through working in a variety of posts across Government.
The Chairman detailed some of the highlights of events the Vice-Chairman and he had attended in recent weeks, which had included various civic dinners, two pantomimes, a quiz night in Bishop’s Stortford and a film festival in Buntingford. He also looked forward to the East Herts Got Talent event on 12 March 2017, and urged Members to support what would be a great evening.