Outgoing chairman welcomes new and thanks council for support

New Horncastle Town Council chairman Brian Burbidge with outgoing chairman Fiona Martin.

Councillor Martin, who has stood as chairman for the past three years, elected to step down for the 2022-23 term and Coun Brian Burbidge was elected in as the new chairman at the town council’s full council meeting on Tuesday, May 10.

Coun Burbidge paid tribute to outgoing chairman Coun Martin, saying she had done a terrific job guiding the town through the Covid-19 pandemic.

he said: “It’s a pleasure to once again serve as chairman of Horncastle Town Council.

"We should give Fiona martin our grateful thanks, the last three years have been the most difficult for any chairman and I’m amazed she has lasted so long.

"She has dealth with it admirably and I can’t think of anyone else who would have coped better.”

Coun Martin gave her thanks to the council for their support over the past three years, especially in such unprecedented times caused by the pandemic.

She said: “At our annual meeting last year, we were looking forward to a more normal year with the vaccine programme and things were looking more hopeful, but that proved not to be the case and it’s only the last three months its felt like something like a normal council year.

"Having events starting and being able to meet in person again has felt like a step forward, but the social distancing and mask-wearing hasn’t been so easy, and having meetings in the downstairs hall [at Stanhope Hall] to be distant has been tough with the acoustics in there.

"We've had the High Street Fund to help those businesses who have suffered in lockdown and a welcome return to the funfair on the Wong.”

Coun Martin has also paid tribute to the past and present clerks of the council who have provided support during her term:

"I’d like to say thank you to all who have supported me and for all your hard-work, and to our long-suffering clerk Amanda [Bushell], we’re very lucky to have such a hard-working clerk and thank you for all you’ve done.

"I’d like to wish Brian a more normal year than the last three years.”

Coun Matt Wilkinson was voted in as vice chairman in his absence.