Civic Office, Chairman of the Council and Coat of Arms
Civic Office Services and Contact Details
The Civic Office provides a comprehensive secretarial and administrative support service to the Chairman of East Riding of Yorkshire Council and the Lord-Lieutenant of the East Riding of Yorkshire; procedural and protocol advice to Members and Officers of the Council and external organisations including members of the public; the organisation of civic and ceremonial events as required.
Arranging engagements for both the Chairmen of the Council and the Lord-Lieutenant as well as Civic and Ceremonial Functions. Preparing for and arranging Royal Visits to the East Riding including the City of Kingston upon Hull and the promtion of the Chairman's role within the East Riding of Yorkshire.
The Civic Office is able to supply information relating to:
The Civic Office can be contacted at:
Sarah Asquith - Civic Officer
Civic Office,
East Riding of Yorkshire Council,
County Hall,
Beverley,
East Riding of Yorkshire.
HU17 9BA
Tel: 01482 393260
Fax: 01482 393269
Email: sarah.asquith@eastriding.gov.uk
Chairman of East Riding of Yorkshire Council
Since its creation in 1996, East Riding of Yorkshire Council took the decision not to call their Civic Head a Mayor but decided upon the title of Chairman and, in that capacity, it is their duty to represent and promote East Riding of Yorkshire Council at all Civic and Ceremonial occasions as well as chair the Council Meetings which are held every two months.
The position of Chairman is held by a Councillor and is apolitical. The Chairman of the Council is appointed each year in May at the Council's Annual General Meeting and the position is held for a period of one year.
A Vice Chairman is also appointed to represent the Chairman should they be unable to accept an invitation.
The current Chairman of East Riding of Yorkshire Council is:
Councillor Bryan Pearson
The Vice Chairman of East Riding of Yorkshire Council is:
Councillor Chris Matthews
If you wish to invite the Chairman of the Council to attend an event to undertake official duties in the first instance please contact the Civic Office.
Please do not contact the Chairman of East Riding of Yorkshire Council direct or send correspondence to their home. ALL communications must be done through the Civic Office.
Chairman's Awards and Commendations
Have your say!
Chairman's Awards
The awards are presented annually by the Council to individuals, companies and organisations within East Riding of Yorkshire in recognition of their achievements towards enhancing the area in which they work and live.
Previous winners can be viewed here. [pdf: 165kb]
Council staff and the public can put forward nominations for the following categories:
Enhancing the SOCIAL WELL BEING of the East Riding of Yorkshire
Enhancing the BUILT HERITAGE of the East Riding of Yorkshire
Enhancing the ENVIRONMENT of the East Riding of Yorkshire
Enhancing the ECONOMY of the East Riding of Yorkshire.
We are looking to recognise people, organisations or objects which are not part of East Riding of Yorkshire Council involved in striving to enhance the region in which we live and work.
A panel will judge the nominations and the top three in each category will be invited, along with their nominator, to the awards ceremony.
Chairman's Commendations
The Chairman's Commendations are presented to East Riding of Yorkshire Council employees either individually or as a team. They aim to recognise high performing employees - those who have gone beyond what is expected of them, provided exceptional service and exceeded expectations.
The Chairman's Commendations also recognises a council employee who has excelled at something in their private life which has brought credit to themselves such as represented their country at sport, undertaken outstanding work for charity, saved a life etc. Please use the Nominations forms below.
Chairman's Awards Nomination Forms
Nominations forms can be obtained by either :
1) Post
Contact Sarah Asquith, Civic Office on 01482 393260.
2) Print
Click on the links below, print, complete and return by post to:
Sarah Asquith, Civic Office, East Riding of Yorkshire Council, County Hall, Beverley HU17 9BA
Please note that new forms are in the process of being prepared.
3) Download
Open one of the documents below, complete by typing in the grey fields, save onto your hard drive and email as an attachment to sarah.asquith@eastriding.gov.uk
If you do not have Microsoft Office installed, you can use the Microsoft Word Viewer to read the documents above.
Civic Regalia
Chairman's Chain of Office
The 18-carat gold chain was formerly used by the Chairman of Humberside County Council until the Council's demise in March 1996. The chain was handed over to Humberside County Council on 6th July 1977 by Mr. A.A. Dunn, Works General Manager of BP Chemicals Ltd. who was representing a group of businesses from the then Humberside area.
The chain took local designer, Miss Jacqueline Stiegar, some three months to make and has some two hundred coloured stones such as semi precious stones crystal, jaspice and various agates coloured red, grey, brown and black. The stones were collected by the designer from the East Coast but mostly from the beach at Hornsea.
The stones vary in size and shape so each link, in which each stone is mounted, was individually cast. Each stone was hand cut and polished before being set in wax to provide a matrix so that the mounting links for each stone would be an exact fit. The links were cast from the wax mould and welded together.
It is said that the links, which do not house a stone, represent the lost towns and villages of the East Riding and its Coast.
Chairman's Badge of Office
The 9-carat gold badge was formerly used by the Vice Chairman of the Humberside County Council until its demise in March 1996. The original centre has been replaced with the hand painted enamel Coat of Arms belonging to East Riding of Yorkshire Council. The enamel work was undertaken by Mr. Gerald Collins of Burnley.
The original Badge of Office was sponsored by Conoco Ltd. Humber Refinery and presented in October 1987 to the Humberside County Council.
Consort's Chain of Office
The Consort’s Chain of Office was originally used by the Mayor of the Borough of Boothferry until its demise in May 1996. Previously, the twenty six link chain was used by the Howden Rural District Council. The chain has the names of the former Chairmen of the Howden Rural District Council upon its links.
Consort's Badge of Office
The Badge of Office was used by the Chairman of the Humberside County Council’s Consort until it’s demise in May 1996. The badge now has in its centre the shield of the East Riding of Yorkshire, which is taken from the Coat of Arms.
Additional Information
Jacqueline Stieger
Jacqueline was born in London and was still a baby when she came to live in the East Riding with her parents who are of Swiss origin. A widow - she uses her maiden name professionally – she was married to an Austrian sculptor who died of cancer. After graduating from Art College at Edinburgh, she started her career as a sculptor and began fashioning jewellery in 1971.
She has in both fields a growing international reputation and has had exhibitions and displays in a number of countries around the globe. Most of her work tends to be sold in the international market and in doing her bit for the country’s balance of payments she sells through agents in London. In addition, Jacqueline has a gallery in Switzerland.
When Humberside County Council began to consider the provision of a Chain of Office, it sought advice from Goldsmith’s Hall in London and Jaceqline Stieger was the jeweller they recommended.
Main contributors
The main contributors to the former Humberside County Council chain of office, in alphabetical order, were:
- Armstrong Equipment Ltd.
- Asbestos and Rubber Company Ltd.
- Barrow Hepburn Leather Ltd.
- Birds Eye, BP Chemicals International
- British Titan Products
- Carmichaels
- Clugston Holdings Ltd.
- Comet Radiovision Services, Conoco Ltd.
- J.G. Eccles Ltd.
- Ellerman's Lines Ltd.
- Findus Ltd., Fisons Ltd.
- Halls Barton Ropery Company Ltd.
- Horsley Smith and Company Ltd.
- Hoveringham Gravels
- Humbrol Ltd.
- Ideal Standard Ltd.
- Lindsey Oil Refinery Ltd.
- North Sea Ferries Ltd.
- Priestman Bros.
- Reckitt and Colman
- Rediffusion (Yorkshire) Ltd.
- Ross Foods Ltd.
- Smith and Nephew Ltd.
- Spooners (Hull) Ltd.
Coat of Arms
Commissioned by East Riding of Yorkshire Council from the College of Arms, the Coat of Arms was designed by Robert Noel, Bluemantle Pursuivant, and was formally adopted by East Riding of Yorkshire Council in 1996.
Bearing the motto 'Tradition and Progress' the Coat of Arms has become a familiar symbol throughout the East Riding of Yorkshire.
The design includes most prominently the white roses these being common to the Arms and to the corporate device of the East Riding set on a chevron engrailed plain cotised to ensure that this design, a relatively simple one, is unique compared to all other Arms on the Register at the College.
In the background is barry vert and gold to represent the land and the wealth it has brought. The East Riding's remarkable buildings and monuments sacred and lay are alluded to in the two instruments carried by the Supporters, they are the pre-Christian symbol of the trident representing commerce and a cross flory on the staff.
The trident also occurs in the Arms of Holderness Borough Council and the cross occurs in the Arms of the Borough of Beverley and the Borough of East Yorkshire. The lion on the left (Dexter) occurs in the device of Boothferry Borough Council and, as wholly blue, in the Arms of the Borough of Beverley suggested by the blue lion of the Percy's seen on their tomb in Beverley Minister.
The lion has a wreath of barley round the neck. The sea horse (Sinister) is present as properly representing the maritime life of the East Riding and thus both Supporters allude to the Haven of Bridlington (in the first case by way of the malting mill on the outskirts of the town).
The crest is composed of a mural crown which is the sign of a local government body surmounted by the eagle as used in the old East Riding Coat of Arms. He clasps a crosier (used with eagle in the Arms of East Yorkshire) and sword, the latter to represent the industry of the area.
The badge beneath the motto scroll shows the white rose on a cushion, which is regarded as being stuffed with wool, again intended to celebrate farming, manufacturing and merchanting. The mantling is red with a white lining, the colours of St. George.
