Torbay Council remembers queen

Thank you Ma'am

Torbay Council persevered its scheduled cabinet meeting this week so that councillors could pay tribute to the queen.

The meeting on Thursday [15 September] began with a minute’s silence, in honour of Her Majesty and also to remember two former councillors, Ann Williams and Jean Cope, who died recently.

Mayor Mandy Darling (Liberal Democrate, Tormohun) recalled several moments throughout the queen’s reign, reflecting fondly on her own opportunity to meet the sovereign at a garden party. There were hundreds of people and many rules, but when it came to her turn to speak to the queen it “felt like a one-on-one experience”, with the queen even petting her guide dog at the time, Todd, who subsequently became known as “Sir Todd”.

Ms Darling said the queen was a “truly remarkable woman”.

Other cabinet members offered condolences to the royal family. One described the queen as someone who “epitomised service above self.”

Members reflected that, despite being a head of state of many countries, Her Majesty “always had the time to listen” and asked everyone “what do you do?”

Councillor Chris Lewis (Conservative, Preston) was born only three weeks after the queen took the throne.  “70 years we’ve been together” he said, remarking at the number of councillors, MPs and prime ministers she has seen come and go, yet “has always been with us.”

He recalled occasions on which he had shared the room with the queen, including an occasion watching an opening of parliament from the visitors’ gallery.  As Her Majesty passed him below, she smiled, and although there were 200 other people in the room, Cllr Lewis felt the smile was for him.

He also spoke of his father, who had been knighted several years later, but what was discussed remains “top secret between me and the queen.”

Cllr David Thomas recalled three personal meetings, including visiting the Festival of Britain in London at the age of six in 1951, when the queen chose to speak to him out of his whole class.

“Our strength and stay” he said, that makes one “realise why she was so special and so loved”,

Remembering her meeting with Paddington Bear at the platinum jubilee in June, Torbay councillors recalled the simple phrase: “Thank you, ma’am, for everything.”