The new Mayor with the Chairman of Shepway
My first official engagement as chairman is the mayor making at Hythe. Martin arrives with the chain and, unlike the quick handover at the Annual Meeting, we have time to get the chain just right. There’s a selection of ribbons to choose from and I ask Martin if the colours have any significance. ‘Not really’ he says, ‘Except you’re not supposed to wear your party colours during an election campaign’. Whoops. I unwittingly broke that protocol the first time I wore the chain. Today I’m wearing blue and I choose the red ribbons.
Chain of Office
We also have time to take a photo of the chain for the blog.
The mayor making in Hythe is in the town hall with the list of the former mayors stretching back to the Middle Ages. It’s done with great ceremony and all the councillors wear gowns. I enjoy being in the audience this time and watch Keren Belcourt elected mayor with David Owen (yes, my new vice chairman who is also a Hythe town councillor) elected deputy mayor.
The mayor of Folkestone is wearing pink ribbons with her chain. She leans across to me and says, ‘I’m not being nasty but your ribbons aren’t very nice.’ She advises me to buy some new ones and that 1 ¼ metres of ribbon is the right length for two bows.
At the reception after the mayor making I notice several people have badges to mark that they have served in various roles with Hythe and the Cinque ports and I resolve to try to record these on the blog sometime.
Tags: Hythe