Minutes:
Moved by the City Mayor, seconded by the Deputy Lord Mayor and carried:
4. Thank you my Lord Mayor I am delighted to move on behalf of the Council our resolution of thanks to Councillor Ted Cassidy as our Lord Mayor for the last year. In moving this I know that I am doing it on behalf of all of the Council and I am doing it with sincerity and warmth to Ted for the service that he has given.
He really has had an excellent term of office as our Lord Mayor. He has, as I predicted would be the case when I moved him for the office some 12 months ago, carried out the duties of Lord Mayor with a characteristic blend of good humour, compassion, enthusiasm and when chairing our meetings a great deal of patience. I don’t think 12 months ago we could perhaps have predicted what an extraordinary year it would have been particularly for somebody like Ted who has supported Leicester City Football team as a season ticket holder for a very considerable period of time and he has of course seen them become Premier League champions which I know has given him, particularly, as it has to the rest of us, very considerable pleasure, excitement and satisfaction. But he has been a fantastically good representative as the First Citizen of our City over the last 12 months. I remember once particularly his performance in the media as has had to be the case over recent times. I remember seeing him on Good Morning Britain speaking on behalf of Leicester and he did it again with that good humour, and that compassion and that enthusiasm that is characteristic of him.
But outside of football as is inevitable on these occasions I actually asked for research as to how many engagements Ted has done. It is, beyond football, an astonishing 398 which does not need a great mathematician to work out has been a very busy year. Some of the highlights, and I have seen the photos of this and it really did happen, abseiling down Gateway House - clearly in doing that unphased by Boris Johnson’s zip wiring episode, he managed to do it with dignity and safety. He has hosted the Citizen of the Year award, he has switched on the Christmas lights, he has of course joined us all and led our celebrations of the Queen’s 60th year of reign. He has hosted 4 overseas visits, he has held his Service of Thanksgiving at the cathedral and very particularly, and I think he can be very proud of this, he has raised an impressive £26,500 at my last count although it may be something increasing beyond that for the Lord Mayor’s appeal with events throughout the year, charity meals, black tie dinners, Christmas concerts, charity quiz nights, visits to the Richard III Visitor Centre, and of course collection buckets at DeMontfort Hall.
The money of course wasn’t just raised for its own sake it was money to help support Ted’s chosen charities – Place2Be and Spark Arts for Children - each of which he chose because of the work that they do supporting children’s mental health and their wellbeing - a cause that is very close to Ted’s heart. As a result of the money raised a project has already been run through the Spark Arts for Children in Leicester schools resulting in the commissioning of the poem for Leicester and of course engaging with young people as those of us who have watched Ted at work been a very important part of his year. He has hosted 25 schools or visited them on a number of occasions, he has had his Young Citizen’s reception at the Guildhall and all of that says something about ensuring that the office of the Lord Mayor is understood and connects with the future generations and the City of the 21st century. I understand Ted that it is also the case that there may be a further donation on its way to the appeal from the Foxes Trust and I very much hope that that is the case and I hope that it helps to swell the coffers of the excellent work that has been done by money you have already raised.
But to return, as one must inevitably with Ted, to the success of the football club what an amazing way to end your year of office with that parade that we saw through the City on Monday of this week and I know that one of your proudest mementos from the year Ted will be the photo that was taken of you with the Premier League trophy. It struck me that was a well- deserved treat to celebrate an excellent year of service. But looking back on that year it is one characterised by your tireless efforts to represent and to promote the City as its First Citizen. I know that there are some aspects of the role that you will not miss such as chairing those Council meetings but I dare say in other respects you will be sorry to pass on the role but you will pass it on to a safe pair of hands and I do think it is right to put in front of the Council that we celebrate your support for Leicester, to our City and to our Council and thank you Ted for all your hard work that you have displayed during your year as our Lord Mayor. Ted, thank you very much indeed.