Councillors G Baxter : M Brader : D M Cheetham : M Emmens : N R Foster : T Furniss : C A Gill : F Higgins : D Hill : E N Hodd : Mrs K Marr : W I Pryce : Mrs C A Smith : G J Sorrill : J M Stocks : S Temple : Mrs W M Temple : J P Williams : M Wing.

1. Election of Town Mayor

RESOLVED That Councillor Jonathan P Williams be appointed to the office of Town Mayor for the Civic Year 2003/2004.

The retiring Town Mayor then invested the Town Mayor with the Chain of Office.

All present then stood whilst the Town Mayor made his Declaration of Acceptance to the Office of Town Mayor and signed the Acceptance of Office book accordingly.

2. Town Mayor’s Address

The Town Mayor thanked his colleague and promised to do his duty to the best of his ability for the Council and the residents of Dronfield. He paid tribute to Councillor Cheetham who had done a marvellous job in promoting and representing Dronfield during his tenure.

 

3. Vote of Thanks to Retiring Town Mayor

Councillor Nick Foster proposed a vote of thanks to David Cheetham who at 33 was one of the youngest Town Mayors since the inception of the title. He gave a brief history of David’s achievements in being elected to the Council at the age of 25 and was (probably) the only Member to represent three different wards of the Council in just eight years. He was elected to Deputy Mayor in 1998 but lost his seat at the 1999 elections, but was re-elected in a bye-election in 2001.

During his year as Mayor he had taken on many tasks and performed many functions and in the process his Charity Appeal swelled to a substantial amount which will be distributed to local charities and community groups.

Councillor Foster congratulated David on the way he had carried out his duties, mixing gravitas with his dry sense of humour, which often diffused difficult situations in fraught times.

 

4. Retiring Mayor’s Response

David Cheetham thanked his colleagues for their support and congratulated the new Town Mayor on his appointment. He joked that it had been reported in the press that on his election to Mayor he was 28 years old and seems to have aged five years in twelve months as he is now 33 years old.

He welcomed all new Members to the Council and thanked his family and friends for their help and support over the year. He ended by saying that he was proud of Dronfield and its vibrancy and proud that so many community groups and volunteers did so much useful work, but often not noticed or recognised. He wished to formally recognise and thank those volunteers and local groups for the work they do in Dronfield.

 

5. Election of Deputy Town Mayor

Councillors Emmens and Higgins were nominated for the Office of Deputy Mayor, and on a show of hands vote Councillor Emmens received the most votes and was, therefore, elected.

RESOLVED That Councillor Michael Emmens be appointed Deputy Town Mayor for the Civic Year of 2003/2004.

 

6. Apologies

None.

 

7. Co-ordinators and Deputy Co-ordinators

Councillors Foster and Pryce were nominated and seconded for this appointment. A recorded vote was requested with the result being –

MOTION – That Councillor N R Foster be appointed Co-ordinator for Finance/Policy matters.

Recorded votes thus

FOR THE MOTION

Councillors Baxter, Brader, Cheetham, Emmens, Foster, Furniss, Hill, Mrs Marr, Mrs Smith and Williams (10)

AGAINST THE MOTION

Councillors Gill, Higgins, Hodd, Pryce, Sorill, Stocks, Temple, Mrs Temple and Wing. (9)

RESOLVED That Councillor N R Foster be appointed Co-ordinator for Finance/Policy matters for the Civic Year 2003/2004.

 

8. Deputy Co-ordinator Finance/Policy Matters

Councillors Baxter and Pryce were nominated and seconded for the position of Deputy Co-ordinator for Finance and Policy matters and, on a show of hands vote, Councillor Baxter gained most votes.

RESOLVED That Councillor Graham Baxter be appointed deputy Co-ordinator for Finance and Policy matters for the Civic Year 2003/2004.

 

9. Representatives on School Governing Bodies (Appendix 1)

Members considered a schedule of current appointments and vacancies and then elected persons to represent the Council on the local schools’ governing bodies.

RESOLVED That the Members shown at appendix 1 be appointed to the relevant schools’ governing body for a period of four years until 2007.

 

10. Representatives on Outside Bodies (Appendix 2)

Members considered a schedule of outside bodies showing the current representation, number of appointees and vacant positions to fill.

RESOLVED That the Members shown at appendix 2 be appointed to the relevant outside bodies to represent this Council.

11. Cycle of Meetings (Appendix 3)

RESOLVED That the cycle of meetings for the Civic Year 2003/2004 be agreed as per the attached schedule to these minutes.