Next mayor of Bourne is appointed
A new mayor has been appointed during a town council meeting.
Coun Paul Fellows handed over his chains in a Bourne Town Council meeting on Tuesday (May 24) after a year of it being a ‘privilege’.
In his remarks addressed to the council and public before the new mayor was elected, he said: “It has been an absolute pleasure to be the mayor of Bourne.
“Bourne is full of heroes and that makes this such a wonderful town and community to be a part of.
“The councillors have all put hours and hours of effort into making this town and community as great as it is.”
Coun Fellows added that the highlights of his year as mayor were the defibrillator being fitted in North Street, opening the public toilets in the Abbey Lawns and a stairlift being installed in Wake House.
Succeeding him is Coun Anna Kelly, who chaired her first meeting as mayor on Tuesday.
Coun Kelly also sits on South Kesteven District Council as an independent councillor and is vice-chairman of the employment committee.
“It’s going to be interesting. When I agreed to take the role I didn’t realise that it would coincide with the jubilee weekend,” Coun Kelly said.
She is hoping to focus on the green areas of Bourne, including Bourne Wood, and the Recreation Ground now it is the town council’s responsibility.
She added: “It is important we can appreciate the outdoors, soak up nature and making the best of the places that we have.
Littering is going to be one of Coun Kelly’s top priorities.
When funds are raised, Coun Kelly has chosen to donate to locally based projects and charities.
“We have lots of green spaces which makes it unique to the rest of South Kesteven and I want to protect that,” Coun Kelly said.
A deputy mayor was not elected but will be chosen at the next full council meeting.
Those who will chair three committees were chosen at the meeting as well.
Coun Colin Pattison will be chairing the amenities committee, Coun Julia Reid will be chairing highways and planning and finance and general purposes will be chaired by Coun Philip Knowles.
A new human resources and governance committee had members elected at the meeting with a structure of a chairman of finance and general purposes plus four other councillors.
Five names were suggested but there were only four seats left and so it went to a private vote where Coun Julia Reid, Coun Roy McKinney, Coun Sue Mallett and Coun Colin Pattison were chosen.
Coun Robert Reid (Con), who sits on Bourne Town Council, was also appointed vice-chairperson on Lincolnshire County Council this week.
