Annual Council

It's the Annual Council meeting tonight, when I hand over the chairmanship to my successor. After the usual apologies and declarations of interest, I ask members to rise for a minute's silence in memory of the fourth serving councillor to have died during the year, Cllr Greg Peck. Then I give my Review of my year in office; and for the first time I use a PowerPoint presentation to give people a glimpse of what I've done during the year.

Then it's time to call for nominations for my successor. It's been thoroughly enjoyable, but I'm quite content to hand over to someone else, and return to the political fray of the backbenches after a year of civic responsibility.

If you've been a regular reader of this online diary, thank you. I hope it's provided something of an insight into what it means to be Chairman of a local authority like Harlow; and that it's been a useful exercise in openness and accountability.

Best wishes for a happy and prosperous future.