To receive any announcements.
Minutes:
The Chairman welcomed Members, guests and the public to the meeting and reminded everyone that the meeting was being webcast.
The Chairman reminded Members of the recent sad news relating to former Councillor and Honorary Alderman John Reynolds, who had passed away. He had represented Buntingford ward from 1973 until 1995 and had been appointed an Honorary Alderman in 2007.
The Chairman also referred to the recent passing of former Councillor Michael Freeman and invited the Leader to say a few words.
The Leader commented that although Michael had only been a councillor for three years, he had made a significant contribution and had always made himself available to invitations to provide assistance on any project. He had chaired the Waste and Recycling Services task and finish group, and had also contributed to the Sustainable Transport task and finish group.
The Leader paid tribute to his campaigning work on protecting public transport, particularly, in respect of the bus replacement service on the Hertford North – Stevenage line and bus services generally. She also referred to the Planning Policy team, who wished to register the support Michael had always given them in their important work.
The Leader concluded by expressing her sorrow and said she would miss his wisdom and conviviality.
Councillor T Page also paid tribute to Michael Freeman’s public service and referred to his time as Vice-Chairman of the Development Management Committee, when he had given much support to him and the Committee in general.
The Chairman added his words of sorrow in paying tribute to Michael Freeman. As a mark of respect in memory of both John Reynolds and Michael Freeman, Members stood and observed a minute’s silence.
On a happier note, the Chairman was pleased to welcome some special local residents who had been recognised in this year’s Queen’s New Year Honours list. He introduced Graham Hoare and Keith Batchelor.
Graham Hoare was Ford Motor Company’s Director of Global Vehicle Evaluation and Verification, responsible for Ford’s test and development operations worldwide. In addition, Graham led the Dunton Technical Centre in Essex, the largest automotive research and development facility in the UK.
In addition to Graham’s role in Ford, he had been a champion for the automotive industry in the UK. He had become actively involved in the UK Automotive Council, established in 2009, to enhance dialogue and strengthen co-operation between the government and the automotive sector. The Council was made up of senior figures from across industry and government and met regularly to progress strategic issues and opportunities for the UK.
Keith Batchelor represented HertsWatch, the umbrella body for the various Neighbourhood Watch schemes across the county, in one of the biggest and most successful crime prevention initiatives ever, involving millions of people across the country. HertsWatch had been awarded the Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service, an accolade that was the equivalent of an MBE for groups, charities and associations.
Through the OWL system, HertsWatch had direct contact with 137,000 households and was one of the biggest Neighbourhood Watch networks in the UK. This was a fantastic initiative, helping to reduce the fear of crime and increasing feelings of safety.
The Chairman invited each award recipient to come forward and receive a certificate in recognition of their achievements.
The Chairman gave a brief overview of the events he had attended recently. In particular, he referred to the Green Flag award achieved for the Southern Country Park and The Ridgeway and expressed his thanks to Ian Sharratt and his team for their efforts.
The Chairman also remarked on the 100th birthday celebrations he had attended at Simon Balle School and the continuing inter-faith meetings organised with the Vice-Chairman. He gave notice of various forthcoming events and highlighted a diversity event to be held at Fletchers Lea, Ware on 18 November 2018.