Minutes:
Announcement from the Mayor
“Councillors, Officers and members of the public.
After every council meeting I reflect on my performance as Mayor. In the past I have even listened to the full audio recording made of meetings to learn and improve. As Mayor one of the primary functions, when chairing a meeting is to show fairness and respect to everyone in equal measure. Hopefully you will also recall that I try and explain proceedings to members of the public so that they can keep up with the way business is conducted.
At the last meeting on 19th November, my performance fell below the standard fellow councillors, which you should expect of me or indeed anyone filling the role of mayor. At one point during the meeting I raised my voice to a member who was speaking in an attempt to get them to stop. Whilst I stand by my reasons for asking the member to stop talking, the manner in which I did so caused offence and distress. Namely by the phrase “stop it” in a loud voice and raising my hand at the same time.
It was the celebrated 18th century English poet and Freemason Alexander Pope who wrote in “An essay on Criticism” the often quoted “To err is human, to forgive is divine.” So I humbly apologise for making a mistake and for being human. I can only hope that all of you who were present and Councillor Michelle Cook in particular, can follow a divine like path and forgive me. I must try harder in future. Thank you Councillors.”
Councillor Dr S Peaple
“Thank you Mr Mayor, taking note of what you said. Can I just ask that all members remind themselves that the protocol is that if you speak they should take their seats, so once you intervene it’s a bit incumbent upon all of us to sit down for you to make your point, and then carry on, and I think that helps a lot because then you are not having to make a second harder intervention.
And the other thing I would like to say for the benefit of those not in Prayers, it was very interesting when the vicar talked about proverbs and he talked about those in power and he immediately turned to our Chief Executive. If that does not bring the rest of us into perspective, I don’t know what does. Thank you Mr Mayor.”
The Mayor announced
“We have with us tonight a much respected member of our community, Di Wells, who as you know was Mayoress of this Borough back in 2005/6. Di as you know does an awful lot of work with the local history group and has produced an absolutely wonderful book. Di is here tonight because she has got some incredible books for you to have a look at, it’s a book which has been put together not only by Di but by the whole history project team, please do have a look, they’re on the table just outside the Chamber. They pictorially and in the written form go through the whole history of Market Street. Having had a look through the book I can really recommend it even if you just have a look through and all the proceeds go to the history project so please do have a look.”
The Mayor invited Councillor S Peaple to make an announcement.
“Thank you very much. I just wanted to remind everybody, because everybody here is a Borough councillor and you do come into contact with residents who might be lonely or on their own, or in a difficult family situation over Christmas, alternately one of the Churches in Tamworth provides Christmas lunch and this year it is Sacred Heart Church and is being staffed by volunteers from Heart of Tamworth, so if you come across anybody who is going to be on their own at Christmas we are happy to welcome them with open arms. We serve a three course lunch, there’s no charge, it’s a really happy event, it starts at 1pm and if there is anyone you want to refer on you can either direct them to me or you can direct them to the office at Sacred Heart Church.
Very briefly, don’t forget also that the Winter Night Shelter is now open in St John’s Church so if you come across anyone who would benefit from that then again please refer them on. Thank you very much.”
The Mayor responded
“Thank you very much for all the efforts which go on to look after our homeless citizens here within Tamworth. It was a lovely experience I had visiting you the other Saturday morning, what a great bacon sandwich your ladies do in the kitchen.”