Cheshire County Council appoints its final chairman

May 15 2008 Chester Chronicle

THE new – and final – chairman of Cheshire County Council is Steve Wilkinson, who took up his post today (Thursday, May 15).

The member for Bucklow has been a county councillor for nine years and will be the authority’s 31st chairman in its 118-year history.

He told members at the authority’s last general meeting: “This is an extremely proud moment for me- but an occasion tinged with sadness and regret because I am the last in a long and distinguished line.

“Throughout its long history, Cheshire County Council has always championed this county and its people and I look forward to doing the same as its chairman.

“There is still business to be done - and we must not forget that. But I see my role as piloting the good ship Cheshire County Council into dock with the dignity and grace it deserves. “

The new chairman pledged his support for staff in their transition into the two new unitary councils. “With that in mind I plan to meet as many as possible to give them a personal ‘thank you’ for their hard work and dedication. “He said.

“It will be a year of preparing for the future whilst winding up the county council’s wide and varied portfolio in the style befitting a four star authority.”

Watching today’s ceremony was County Councillor Wilkinson’s father John and wife Brenda and daughters Liz.

The former dairy farmer said: “My main mission over the next 12 months will be supporting agriculture and the rural economy in its many roles and part of this is the centenary of the county council’s farms and Cheshire Year of Gardens.

“And because of my past experience in youth work I would like to promote young people”.

He added: “I would also like to thank the retiring chairman Neville Price for his hard work over the past two years.”

The new vice-chairman is county councillor Ken Oliver, a farmer, who has represented the Congleton rural ward for the last seven years.