20/026 PRESENT
Councillors Gardiner, Houghton, Abel, Beswick, Coan, Dalzell, Forbes, Gray, Malloy, McCulloch, Nicholson and Robertson
In attendance: A Keppel-Green (Town Clerk)
20/027 INAUGURATION OF THE TOWN MAYOR
Cllr Nicholson gave a short speech in support of Cllr Gardiner’s inauguration as Town Mayor which was supported by a seconding speech from Cllr Gray. Cllr Gardiner was presented with the Mayoral chain of office.
Cllr Gardiner addressed the meeting and thanked members for the honour of being elected as Town Mayor for a second time. Cllr Gardiner gave a short speech announcing that during his term of office he would be fundraising for the Knutsford Branch of the Royal British Legion and the Knutsford Branch of the St Vincent de Paul Society.
Cllr Gardiner announced his husband Simon Hutchence as Consort and invested him with his chain of office. Cllr Gardiner announced Rev Paul Deakin as Mayor’s Chaplain; Rev Deakin addressed the meeting.
Cllr McCulloch disconnected from the meeting during this item.
20/028 INAUGURATION OF THE DEPUTY TOWN MAYOR
Cllr Robertson gave a short speech in support of Cllr Houghton’s inauguration as Deputy Town Mayor which was supported by a seconding speech from Cllr Malloy. Cllr Houghton was presented with the Deputy Town Mayor’s chain of office.
20/029 APPOINTMENT OF MAYOR’S CADET
Cllr Gardiner announced the appointment of Corporal James Booth of the 2056 (Knutsford) Squadron Air Training Corps as the Mayor’s Cadet and presented his badge of office.
20/030 STATEMENT FROM THE FORMER TOWN MAYOR
Cllr Malloy reflected on his extended term in office and the challenges the community has faced during the pandemic. Cllr Malloy announced that a total of £13,430 had been raised through his charitable fundraising which had been split between a fund for a skate park and between eight sporting clubs involved in delivering youth sports: Egerton Football Club, Knutsford Rugby Club, Canute Badminton Club, Knutsford Vikings, Toft Cricket Club, Knutsford Hockey Club, Knutsford Tennis Club and Knutsford Netball Club.
Cllr Malloy presented Corporal Cadence Grace of the 2056 (Knutsford) Squadron Air Training Corps with the Past Mayor’s Cadet badge.
20/031 VOTE OF THANKS TO THE FORMER TOWN MAYOR
Cllr Gardiner proposed a vote of thanks to Cllr Malloy congratulating him on a successful year in office.
Cllr Malloy was presented with his Past Mayor’s medal.
20/032 DECLARATIONS OF MEMBERS’ INTERESTS
No member declared an interest in any item.
20/033 APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE
Apologies were received from Cllr Power (personal business)
20/034 CONFIRMATION OF PREVIOUS MINUTES
It was RESOLVED to confirm the minutes subject to an amendment to 20/011 to state that Cllr Forbes had absented himself from the payment approvals process for the payments in which he held an interest and to 20/016 to refer to the Radbroke Hall reconfiguration and the Shaw Heath and Longridge partnership.
20/035 PUBLIC PARTICIPATION
No members of the public wished to address the council.
20/036 DATE OF THE NEXT MEETING
It was noted that the next scheduled meeting will be held on 4th January 2021 at 7pm.