Agenda item

Official announcements

Minutes:

Dr Arun Ghosh

 

The Worshipful Mayor expressed great sadness in announcing the death of former West Hendon Councillor, Dr Arun Ghosh, who passed away on Friday 29 March, 2013.

 

Dr Ghosh was elected to the Council in 1998 and served for eight years until 2006.

 

As Councillor, Dr Ghosh served on a number of the Council’s Committees including;

 

·                     Welsh Harp Joint Consultative Committee

·                     Health and Social Care Overview and Scrutiny Committee

·                     Appeals Committee

·                     Education and Children Overview and Scrutiny Committee

·                     Corporate Health Safety and Welfare Committee;

 

He remained active within the local community. The Mayor reported that the Council’s thoughts were with Mrs Ghosh and family at this sad time.

 

Councillor Ansuya Sodha and Councillor Richard Cornelius spoke in tribute to Dr Arun Ghosh.

 

Baroness Thatcher of Kesteven

 

The Worshipful Mayor expressed great sadness in announcing the death of Baroness Thatcher, who passed away on 8 April 2013. The Worshipful Mayor paid tribute to Baroness Thatcher. She was elected Member of Parliament for Finchley and Friern Barnet in 1959 and served as its MP until 1992. She was Prime Minister of Great Britain and Northern Ireland between 1979 and 1990 and the first ever woman to hold that office.

 

On 6 February, 1980 she was awarded the Freedom of the Borough after 20 years of ‘Dedicated Service’, in a ceremony held at Hendon Town Hall.

 

Amongst the guests present at the ceremony were Baroness Thatcher’s husband Denis; the Deputy Lieutenant, Colonel F. E. Wilkins; the MPs for Hendon South and Chipping Barnet, Peter Thomas and Sydney Chapman; Mr. Roland Freeman, Finchley's GLC representative; and Councillor Christopher Walford, the Mayor of Kensington and Chelsea.

 

The casket containing the scroll of the Freedom was designed and made by Mr Gerald Lattice and pupils of Woodhouse School.

 

There was congratulation for Mrs Thatcher from the Mayor, Councillor Mrs. Rita Levy; from Council leader Leslie Pym; from Councillor Mrs. Edna James and from Councillor Bill Hart.

 

During the ceremony she gave thanks to those who selected her in 1959. Special mention was given to Alderman Alfred Pike, a former Mayor of Finchley and a Freeman;Mr. Bert Blatch, a former local newspaper editor; Councillors Victor Usher and Bill Hart; Mrs. Ena Constable; Mrs. Betty Gibson and Mr. Gordon Bryson.

 

She spoke of the annual events she attended in her constituency, such as Finchley Rotary Club's dinner, and the Christmas meeting with pensioners. Even when no longer MP for Finchley, Baroness Thatcher’s interest in Finchley and the Borough remained.

 

In 1992, Mrs Thatcher left the House of Commons. She was appointed a peeress in the House of Lords with the title of Baroness Thatcher of Kesteven and continued giving speeches and lectures across the world. In 1995, she became a member of the Order of the Garter, the highest order of knighthood in England.

 

Councillor Richard Cornelius, Leader of the Council; Councillor Alison Moore, Leader of the Labour Group; Councillor Jack Cohen, Leader of the Liberal Democrat Group;

Councillor Brian Coleman; Councillor John Marshall; Councillor Jim Tierney; Councillor Helena Hart; Councillor Geof Cooke and Councillor Brian Salinger spoke in remembrance of Baroness Thatcher.

 

A minutes silence was held in remembrance of Dr Arun Ghosh and Baroness Thatcher.