8
Chairman of the Council
Fellow Members of East Suffolk Council – let me first congratulate you on your election or re-election. I am deeply honoured to preside over our first meeting together. And I extend my sincere thanks to our outgoing Chair, Cllr Ceresa, for her service to this Council over the past year, as well as to the Officers of East Suffolk Council who support us in our role.
Fellow Members – I’m grateful for the confidence you have shown in electing me to serve as this Council’s chair for the civic year 2023-24.
As Chair of the Council, I am not only the civic head of East Suffolk. Just as crucially, I am also the guardian of the East Suffolk Constitution, and of the integrity of this Council Chamber. All sides of it, no matter the political party. This means three important things.
First – it is part of the integrity of this Chamber that it belongs to the people of East Suffolk. It is ultimately their Chamber, not ours. The people of East Suffolk deserve their business – and only their business – to be conducted here. They also deserve to have their business conducted expeditiously, with their best interests in mind.
As Chair, I pledge to preside over efficient and focused Council meetings at which the business of the people of East Suffolk comes first and foremost. This business is by its very nature political, but I shall take a dim view of the use of this Chamber to conduct politically motivated battles. Members should reserve those battles for the media – and for elections.
Second – it is part of the integrity of this Chamber that all Members, no matter ward or party, are on equal footing here. As elected representatives of the people of East Suffolk, each of us has the same right to be heard in the people’s Chamber.
As Chair, I pledge to ensure that every Member who wishes to be heard will be heard within the limits of our Constitution. That Members who need extra accommodation to be heard because of disability or obstacle shall have it. And that, in due course, our Constitution will be reviewed to ensure that the principles of democracy underpin its every letter. But I shall take a dim view of any attempt to close debate prematurely, to block motions properly made, or to refer outside of this Chamber business that should properly be conducted within it.
Third – it is part of the integrity of this Chamber that when Members are heard, they are heard respectfully. There will be robust debate in this Chamber – indeed, there must be, or else we risk not doing our best for the people of East Suffolk. But I shall take a dim view of disrespectful speech – and an especially dim view of hateful speech – whether towards my office or the office of any other Member. Debate, not hate.
With those principles of respect and inclusivity in mind – and as a final note – I request Members and Officers to refer to me as ‘Chair’, not ‘Chairman’, and to refer to my tenure as my ‘Chairship’, not my ‘Chairmanship’. I may be a man by gender, but my predecessor in this Chair was not, and this Chamber does not include only men.
Fellow Members – once again, I am grateful for the confidence you have placed in me. I will do my utmost to discharge my office energetically, faithfully and above all impartially. I look forward to working with all of you over the coming civic year.
Vice Chairman of the Council
Councillor Fisher thanked Members for electing him to the role of Vice Chairman, and thanked the outgoing Vice Chairman, Councillor Chris Blundell, for his hard work as a Councillor and a Vice Chair.
Councillor Fisher confirmed that from this point onwards, all Members and officers refer to his office as that of the Vice Chair.
There were no announcements from the Cabinet Members or the Chief Executive.