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Annual Meeting of the Council and
Mayor-making Ceremony
On Thursday May 12th I was privileged to
be invited to attend the Civic Offices in Basingstoke.
The proceedings were in the council
chamber and the retiring Mayor Mrs Gwen Richardson called for
the nomination for election to the office of Mayor for
2005/2006. Councillor Mrs Gill Nethercott proposed that
Councillor Paula Baker be elected to the Office of Mayor. She
then spoke in her proposal of the public service carried out
over many years by Councillor Paula Baker. Other ceremonial
parts of the meeting ensued which involved robing and chains of
office being presented.
The new Mayor in her address named her
charities for the year 2005/2006 and the North East Hants Branch
of the Motor Neurone Disease Association was named, and it is
hoped that funding for communication aids will be achieved. The
HART wild life centre in Overton was named as the main charity
for the year. We are delighted to be a named charity, as during
the year it will give us an opportunity for publicity for the
Association and we will be able to highlight what the branch is
doing locally. Mayor Paula Baker wanted to focus the fund
raising on specific items and liked the idea of Light Writers as
the Council Chamber is a ‘talking shop’.
The evening continued with the Deputy
Mayor being proposed and seconded and concluded with the
retiring Mayor replying to the vote of thanks given by the
Mayor. A light buffet rounded of the evening.
As a Branch we will look forward to the
opportunities this will give the branch and are very grateful
for the support of the Mayor.
Coral Smith
