Mayoral Tradition

The Office of Mayor

I am being asked a lot now about the role of Deputy Mayor and how I feel about being Mayor next year in 2005?

I felt that the best I could do is to re-print here the advice I have received from the Mayors staff, who remain dedicated to the administration, unlike the Mayoralty which changes each year.

The Office of Mayor is steeped in history and tradition –the first English Mayor was The Mayor of London, appointed by King Richard the First in 1189.

Wolverhampton’s first Mayor Mr GB Thorneycroft was elected in 1848 and he has been succeeded 140 times. The Office of Mayor is the highest honour the Local Authority can bestow to a Member as the Mayor is recognised as being second only to Royalty and The Lord Lieutenant [in their own Borough/City].

The Mayors officials endeavour to ensure that Civic tradition is maintained whilst making sure that the Office of Mayor reflects the 21st Century.

My role will be to ensure that we retain the dignity of the Mayorality whilst being in the public eye and the Mayor is seen as a great asset in facilitating the awareness of the Councils role within the community.

Of course the big challenge for any Mayor, and I know that it will be a challenge for me, is to cast aside Party Politics and sectarian matters!

In other words the staff is informing me that The Mayor should be impartial on all matters, and added to that be ‘all things to all men’ with a remit to meet as many people as possible from all walks of life. Plus all corners of the City.

These are great challenges for any politician, but I will rise to the occasion, of that I am sure! So I started this note by repeating the question that everyone is asking me. How do I feel about being Mayor next year?

The answer is fine….but perhaps the question should have been, How does Wolverhampton City feel about having Phil Bateman as Mayor?

Well we shall soon know because the days are rushing past like steam engines.”

Councillor Phil Bateman is the current Deputy Mayor; he is in the process of tracing his ancestral line in time for the Mayor making ceremony in May 2005.

More musings on what is likely to happen in 2005 over the next few weeks in ‘Insider’.