Cllr Mike Butcher

Archive for February, 2010

Going to the AGM tonight at the Conservative Club in Gorleston.

After 1 minutes silence for Cllr Dick Barker, the full council debated the budget for 2010/11.  It is going to be a tough few years ahead but at least we are taking early action on damage limitation.  There was pretty much cross party support to what is being proposed.

Attended (along with many others) Dick’s funeral service at the Crematorium this afternoon.  I cannot remember ever seeing so many people there before!  Several other Councillors were there across the political divide including leaders of both political parties and His Worship Mayor Tony Smith.  The wake was held at Burgh Hall afterwards.

Hopton Parish Clerk and I had an informal chat with the two newest Hopton Parish Councillors who were elected last Thursday 11th Feb.  They were each given some bedtime reading to prepare them for their new posts.  I feel certain that they will be valuable additions to our Parish Council!

It was (unfortunately!) a wet Shrove Tuesday (or to give it it’s correct name – Fat Tuesday!) this afternoon when several attractions gave King Street a Mardi Gras look and feel.  This event was organised by Sea Change and despite the weather, many people turned out to see several performers performing and the parade, parading?? Under a marque were several themed stalls and, despite having had a good lunch, I had a ham & cheese pancake that tasted very nice, enhanced by the fact that our Worshipful Mayor Tony Smith had paid for it.  I feel certain that he will get me back in the near future!

I took a few photos and these are below.  If you run your mouse over them there is a description:

Attended this new initiative presentation at the King Centre this morning.  It is about gathering together many partner organisations onto a soon to be launched new web based information/comments system which (as the name 96K Talk Back suggests) is a means of creating a two way conduit for receiving and imparting information.  It will be interesting to see how this project develops. 

A few photos:

Attended Scrutiny this evening, standing in for another Cllr.  Very interesting meeting.

The group meeting was held in the Supper Room this evening where the forthcoming Council business was discussed before presentation to Council next week.  Several of the Conservative Candidates for the forthcoming Borough Elections on May 6th also attended as observers.

I attended (As Chairman of the Parish Council) the count this evening for the election of two new Parish Councillors to fill the vacancies recently created.  There were three candidates and Jean Canham & Stuart Rumsby were duly elected.  David Ramsden came a close third.  About a third of the votes cast were postal votes!

It would appear that Great Yarmouth Borough Council lives to fight another day as Minister announces Unitary for Norwich City with the rest of us staying as we were.  An awful lot of work, cost and uncertainty finally over!

I had better start thinking about preparing for May 6th when I will have to fight for my place on GYBC again!  Just starting to feel like I can help make a difference.