The Chairman and Civic Functions

Currently in office at North Kesteven District Council:

• The Chairman - Councillor Mr Andrew Hagues
  Named Consort: Councillor Lucille Hagues
• The Vice-Chair - Councillor Mr Chris Goldson
  Named Consort: Mrs Christine Goldson

The role and responsibility of the Chairman to North Kesteven District Council, as the civic and ceremonial head of the Council, is to be an ambassador representing the Council and the communities of North Kesteven which they serve.

• Working in a proactive way to ensure the authority’s aims, objectives and priorities are met and to promote good practice.
• Building connections and bringing information to the authority from experiences learned.
• Host main civic events.
• Welcome visitors to the authority’s area.
• Network within the community through stakeholders, community groups, public and the voluntary sector, to achieve mutual understanding relating to activities and projects being undertaken.
• To preside over principal meetings of the Council and to ensure that Council meetings are conducted in a professional manner and in accordance with the procedure laid down in the Local Government Act 1972 and in the Council’s Standing Orders.
• Impartially and objectively encouraging appropriate participation and offering feedback.

This is current Council Chairman Cllr Andrew Hagues’ fourth consecutive year of chain-wearing high office within North Kesteven District Council, despite only having joined as an elected Member in May 2023.

Immediately upon his election as a district councillor – joining wife Lucille who was already a district councillor and building on a tenure as a Lincolnshire County Council from late 2010 – Cllr Hagues was nominated as vice-chairman for the year through to May 2024.

For the two years immediately before that, he had been Lucille’s consort when she was vice-chairman and chairman. In 2017 to 18 he was Chairman at Lincolnshire County Council, having been vice-chairman in the year before that.

Resident of Leasingham for 45 years, one of the villages he represents as District Councillor, he is especially keen to use his year of office to support the entire District and its flourishing communities through representation, promotion, participation and attendance at events and functions.

For 40 years he worked for Anglian Water as an engineer, travelling and working all over the region, dealing with new developments to ensure that the water supply and drainage infrastructure was ready in time. Prior to this he had worked as an architect in Sam Scorer’s Lincoln practice where he met Lucille in 1970, and spent a period with Citibank.

He had a typical Naval childhood as his family was shipped around the world, moving to Nettleham near Lincoln at the age of 13, from where his father had originated.

“I have lived in Lincolnshire since the age of 13 and have always felt the need to support my local area. To that end I am very pleased to be in a position to support the Lincolnshire Rural Support Network throughout my year as Chairman. Itself in its 25th year, it is clear to me that it is a very worthwhile cause, carrying out excellent work within our rural communities, particularly in challenging loneliness and isolation within agriculture and horticulture.

The LRSN provides help and support to Lincolnshire’s farming and horticultural communities and allied industries in times of crisis, stress and change. It has provided outstanding support to residents in our rural district and in their 25th year, I am keen as Chairman to continue to raise awareness of this charity to ensure the community is supported. I anticipate that with Members, Officers, and public support for my fund-raising activities, our contributions will help make a difference to both this worthwhile charity.”

With the LRSN’s work in mind and enthusiastic about the provision of open spaces within communities and new developments, a focus for his year, Cllr Hagues is keen to champion the extensive network of waymarked paths within North Kesteven and opportunities for people of all ages and abilities to connect with the countryside, navigate their neighbourhoods and access open spaces as best they can.

With three dogs to walk twice daily, Cllr Hagues is an early riser where he benefits from experiencing the sights and sounds of nature. This and fond remembrances of roaming freely as a child motivate him in advancing his theme for the year. “With such vast open countryside, broad open spaces and within our safe communities, we have so many opportunities to get out into nature and explore,”

His District ward of Cranwell, Leasingham and Wilsford includes the RAF College community and his home village, while his County Council Division of Sleaford Rural encompasses most of the villages south of the town. He had barely retired and was considering a life of golfing and gardening when approached by a serving member of NKDC to stand for LCC in a by-election in 2010, and again for 2023’s new NKDC council.

He and Lucille have one son, who is an architect living and working in London, and a granddaughter and grandson, who especially likes to go out on dog walks locally when visiting.

The Chairman’s nominated charity is the Lincolnshire Rural Support Network. This is a lifeline for Lincolnshire's farming and rural folk, getting you back on track. Who are a volunteer-led organisation providing pastoral and practical support during periods of anxiety, stress, and problems with your business or family life.

The Civic Officer is responsible for the day-to-day running of the Civic Office as follows: 

• Provides support to the Chairman and Vice-Chairman in the delivery of their civic duties in respect of managing, organising, prioritising and co-ordinating their programme of civic engagements and commitments 
• Acts as first point of contact receiving all requests for official engagements and liaises with other authorities and outside organisations involved. 
• Programmes and manages the Council’s civic events hosted by the Chairman annually 
• Manages the Chairman’s charity fund during the Chairman’s year of office 
• Advices the Chairman and Vice-chairman on civic protocol

If you would like to invite the chairman to an event you can do so via our online form.

If the Chairman has attended an event recently and you would like to leave feedback, you can do so on our Chairman attendance satisfaction survey.

If you would like to contact the Chairman, or invite them to an event, please do so via the Civic Office.

• Email:  Civic_Office@n-kesteven.gov.uk
• Telephone:  01529 308024