Minutes:
The Chair paid tribute to the services of Councillor Stelling during his term of office and presented a Past Chairman’s Medal to Councillor Stelling incorporating the Council’s Coat of Arms as a token of the Council’s appreciation of his services during his period of office.
Further tributes to Councillor Stelling’s ambassadorial service, the diligent, exceptional, professional and dignified way he had conducted himself during his term of office both locally, regionally, nationally and internationally were given by Councillor Hopgood (Leader of the Council and Leader of the Liberal Democrat Group), Councillor R Bell (Deputy Leader of the Council and Leader of the Conservative Group), Councillor Shield (Leader of the Durham Group), Councillor Shuttleworth (Leader of the Durham County Council Independent Group), Councillor Marshall (Leader of the Labour Group) and Councillor Maddison (Leader of the Spennymoor and Tudhoe Independent Group).
In response, Councillor Stelling thanked both the incoming Chair and all Councillors for the presentation and expressed his appreciation to all who had supported and assisted him during the year and thanked Councillor Bainbridge for her support as Vice-Chair.