Warwick Court Leet appointed a new Bailiff, Juror Keith Hinton, at its 472nd Annual Meeting and Autumn Court, held on Thursday 22 October at The Court House, Jury Street.
Mr Hinton took up the office and was sworn in by the Court’s Steward, Jayne Topham, the Lord of the Leet, Simon Pargeter who is also the Mayor of Warwick, with proceedings supported by the Sergeant at Mace, Trevor Langley and members of the Court’s jury.
The Court also saw the appointment of three new Jurors: Sue Butcher, Anne Love and Nick Walker. The outgoing Bailiff, Rob Cameron, was appointed Foreman of the Jury.
The outgoing Foreman, Mark Robertson, was congratulated for his four years of service in the role. He was appointed an Aelderman of the Court, having previously also served as Bailiff from 2021 to 2022.
The Court dealt with matters of importance to the town and also made donations from its Community Grant Fund to good causes in Warwick; recipients included Myton Hospice, Hill Close Gardens Trust and Arrive Alive.
It was also announced that almost £10,000 has been added to the Community Grant Fund this year. The money came from the Court’s summer Beer, Cider and Music Festival.
Richard Eddy, the Herald of Warwick Court Leet said:
“Our Annual Meeting is a chance to look back on a busy year, address current issues and to welcome those who will carry the Court forward. We are delighted to appoint Keith Hinton as the new Bailiff in addition to welcoming our three new Jurors and our new Foreman. We are also grateful to Mark Robertson for his service as Foreman for the past four years. We are indebted to the generosity of everyone who supported our summer beer festival; the funds raised from the event will also be given back to the groups and individuals that make a real difference to people in Warwick.”
Founded in 1554 by Royal Charter of Queen Mary I, the Court Leet was Warwick’s original legal body. Its legal powers are now ceremonial, and today it preserves local traditions, supports civic life and raises money for charities, community groups and individuals in need in the town.