Minutes:
The following announcements were made:-
Councillor D Cook:-
Apologies for not making this announcement on 12th September, Councillor M Gant will replace Councillor J Chesworth on the Audit and Governance Committee.
Councillor Dr S Peaple:-
Announce that Councillor S Peaple will take up the place of the late Councillor Seekings on the Licensing Committee and replace Councillor Dr S Peaple on the Infrastructure, Safety and Growth Scrutiny Committee.
Chief Operating Officer, Andrew Barratt:-
At a special meeting of the Tamworth Borough Council held on Tuesday 12th September 2017, it was resolved that, pursuant to section 249(5) of the Local Government Act 1972 this Council do hereby confer the Honorary Alderman of the Borough Posthumously upon Mr Peter Seekings, in recognition of his eminent services to Tamworth, whilst he was a member of Tamworth Borough Council.
The Mayor called upon the Leader of the Council, Councillor D Cook and the Leader of the Opposition, Councillor Dr S Peaple to speak prior to the official presentation.
Councillor D Cook – “All I can really do Mr Mayor is reiterate the words that I used on the 12th September, words that I have continued to use since. Councillor Peter Seekings was a giant of Tamworth politics. As I joked about on 12th September Councillor Seekings was a long standing Leader of this Council as I have now been, we both are Yorkshiremen, we used to regularly joke about two Yorkshiremen that came South to conquer the World. We might have had opposite political opinions but we were Yorkshiremen through and through. The best way that I could possibly describe Peter from my own experience was a worth friend, a worth foe. He was always good in the pub, after a meeting, for a pint moving away from politics to talk about the things that genuinely mattered in life and while we did have some political differences I believe we both came to the same place, we both wanted the best for the people of Tamworth. As I am fundamentally aware no matter where Peter’s life took him, he gave back to his local community, he was a civic dignitary wherever he was Peter was a well-respected member of this chamber who will be fondly remembered by the people of Tamworth.”
Councillor Dr S Peaple – “Can I first of all say thank you again to Councillor Cook. On the night that the presentation took place it was convention that we don’t have the person or recipient of the award or relatives present, so you weren’t able to hear that said at the time and I wanted you to hear it now before I spoke. On that night what was so nice was that virtually every member of the Council on both sides spoke from the heart, Councillor Lunn entertained us on that sad occasion but none the less entertained us, with his stories of standing with Peter on the terraces of Tamworth, of variation of language that might have applied compared to the council chamber and their genuine analysis which equally did apply to the council chamber, but on a different topic and it brought a smile to many that night as it was Peter. Peter that we knew, Peter who would talk to us about things that were not right and should be sorted out and we had the benefit of that, we also had the benefit of Councillor Faulkner speaking from the heart as a man who had Peter as a very close friend as well as political colleague and somebody who therefore desperately missed and still misses the presence that we had in Peter. We have got a great whole to fill with the loss of Peter. Peter and I discussed many things in politics, we didn’t always agree as you would expect well prepared politicians to find differences at times, but one of the things that I could say to this chamber was he was a party man, he never let the Labour Party down and he would never have given you the satisfaction of seeing any disagreement on this bench, because he believed fervidly for the Labour Party to offer the best option for the people of Tamworth and the people of the Country. We respect that and what was so nice, on that night was that respect came from the whole chamber, the words that were individual and reflected different relationships with Peter but which none the less demonstrated how much we will miss somebody of such titanic competence, focus, belief and commitment to the community. He really believed that what you could do for your community you should do and if you could go further, try and go further. But what was also missed was for those of us like myself, Patrick and others who shared his faith, we saw him at church, we saw him at prayer, we saw him with his family or talking about his family and it was probably fair to say to you, if you didn’t know already and I think it was mentioned a lot at the funerals, that your parents were always talking about you or your children or whatever you were doing. More than one group meeting was entertained to alternative prospective gained from his sons involvement in local government and never without a lesson for the rest of us to take forward into the chamber. But all the time he knew that if there was one thing that meant more to him than politics it was his family through his faith and Peter and Violet were just wonderful people they gave their lives to each other in a way that was an example and whilst it was awful for you to lose them both in such rapidity one could not image one of them without the other and all I can say to you is we extend our condolences once again to you, but we also honour him, his commitment and Violet because all of us who are in relationships know you can’t give that much to your community unless the other person in the house is prepared to stand behind you and do it with you all be it without the fame and the glory. So to both of them whilst this is in Peter’s name you know, I know that Violet helped him all the way to take him to that honour.”
The Mayor invited Peter’s children Annemarie, Andrew, John, Mark, Michelle and her husband Ian forward to collect the award.
Councillor Dr S Peaple:-
Welcome Councillor Bishop to her first meeting and congratulations on her wedding since the last meeting.
Welcome Councillor S Peaple to her first meeting.