Melton and Ufford’s councillor, Jim Bidwell officially became
the district’s new first citizen after he was elected the Chairman
of Suffolk Coastal District Council at its Annual Meeting last
night (Thursday).
Cllr Bidwell will be Chairman for the next 12 months, and
represents Melton, Ufford, and Pettistree on the Council, having
first been elected to the Council in 2003 for the Trimleys and
Kirton ward.
A former Mayor of Woodbridge, Cllr Bidwell is a retired
schoolmaster who has lived in Melton for 36 years, having
previously served in the Army and lived and worked in Kenya.
He was last year’s Vice-Chairman of the Council, and takes over
from Cllr Cliff Cocker. Cllr Bidwell is a member of the Council’s
Licensing and Health Committee, and its Community, Customers &
Partners Scrutiny Committee.
“It is a great honour to have been elected as Chairman of the
Council for the area in which I have lived for over 35 years. I
quickly came to recognise and enjoy the unique qualities of this
district’s environment and people which makes this part of East
Suffolk such an outstanding place to live, work or visit,” said
Cllr Bidwell.
“The Chairman’s role is a largely ceremonial one of representing
the district at a range of 200 or so formal and less formal public
engagements a year. I look forward to meeting the business,
community and voluntary organisations who are all playing an
important part in maintaining and improving the excellent qualify
of life in our district,” added Cllr Bidwell.
Suffolk Coastal’s Chairman wears a chain of office when carrying
out most duties, but does not have any formal robes that many
mayors wear. Cllr Stephen Burroughes of Peasenhall was elected the
Vice-Chairman.
Cllrs Ray Herring and Andy Smith were re-elected Leader and Deputy
Leader of the Council respectively, while the Chairmen and
membership of the Council’s committees were also formally agreed.
Full details will be on
www.suffolkcoastal.gov.uk/yourcouncil/councillors