Chairman of Herefordshire Council

Title: Councillor Olwyn Barnett 
Member of political group on the Council: Conservative
Ward: Mortimer
Parishes: Adforton, Aymestry, Brampton Bryan, Buckton, Coxall, Burrington, Byton, Coombe, Downton, Elton, Kinsham, Leinthall Starkes, Leintwardine, Lingen, Pipe Aston, Stapleton, Walford, Letton, Newton, Wigmore and Willey
Vice-Chairman: Councillor Chris Chappell

Chairman's Role

The Chairman of the Council is the civic and ceremonial head of the Council; chosen by Council to be the non-political representative of the Council on ceremonial and other occasions and to run Council meetings.

Although the Chairman of the Council is usually a member of a political party, when they take on the official role of Chairman they agree to be apolitical for the year. This is because the Chairman of the Council is expected to be the ‘balancer’ in council meetings and ensure all political parties are represented equally. It is also important to note that when it comes to ward related business, the Chairman has no enhanced decision making powers – they voice their opinion like any other Councillor.

Protocol Information

The Chairman of Herefordshire Council shall have precedence in the County of Herefordshire, but not so as to prejudicially affect Her Majesty’s royal prerogative.

This means that, subject to the exception only of Her Majesty The Queen, any member of the Royal Family or HM Lord-Lieutenant of the County and the High Sheriff, when they are representing Her Majesty, at public, as opposed to private events, the Chairman of Herefordshire Council has absolute precedence over any other person in the County of Herefordshire.

It is sometimes wrongly assumed that, for example, Government Ministers, Members of Parliament, Peers of the Realm and Mayors of Town Councils take precedence over the Chairman. This is not the case.

Accordingly,  at  any  function or  event  to which  she  is  invited within the County of Herefordshire,  the Chairman  of  Herefordshire  Council  must  be accorded absolute precedence.

Chairman's Announcements

These are updated after every full Council meeting. Previous announcements can be downloaded from the resources box below.

27 May 2011

Councillor Olwyn Barnett was appointed as Chairman of Herefordshire Council.