A: In May and every May at the Annual Meeting! Having been elected or co-opted it is the responsibility of all Councillors to elect the best person for Chairman each May. Councillors should demand a secret ballot if necessary. Sometimes difficult decisions have to be taken, always with the public interest in mind.

A few years under a Chairman’s belt can be advantageous but Councils with such long-serving Chairmen rarely ‘move on’. A change in the Chair brings a breath of fresh air! Why not ask for a secret ballot next year?