Minutes:
Moved by Councillor A Hopgood, Seconded by Councillor A Shield that Councillor J Nicholson be elected Chair.
Resolved:
That Councillor J Nicholson be elected to the Office of Chair of the Council.
Councillor J Nicholson subscribed the Statutory Declaration accepting the Office.
In accepting the Office of Chair of the Council Councillor Nicholson paid tribute Councillor Bainbridge who had been a very close friend and was held in the highest esteem. Her service to County Durham and to her constituents was impeccable and she would be a great miss to Durham County Council and to those who knew her as a friend.
Councillor P Jopling on behalf of the Conservative Group, Councillor A Hopgood, Leader of the Liberal Democrat Group, Councillor A Shield, Leader of the Durham Group, Councillor J Shuttleworth, Leader of the Durham County Council Independent Group, Councillor R Crute, Deputy Leader of the Labour Group, Councillor L Maddison, Leader of the Spennymoor and Tudhoe Independent Group and Councillor J Charlton paid tribute to Councillor Bainbridge.
Members stood for a moments silence out of respect to Councillor Bainbridge.