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    11

    Apr 2023

    Last Updated: 11/04/2023
    Community
    Community

    Councillors to elect ceremonial mayor for Harrogate this month

    by Thomas Barrett Local Democracy Reporter

    | 11 Apr, 2023
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    victoriaoldhammayor
    Cllr Victoria Oldham (right) is sworn in as mayor of the Harrogate borough.

    Councillors will elect a mayor for the town of Harrogate at a meeting this month.

    Called a ‘charter mayor’, the non-political role will involve promoting the historic and ceremonial traditions of the Harrogate area during events and occasions such as Remembrance Sunday.

    The mayor will be chosen by the Harrogate ‘charter trustees’, which are 10 councillors who represent divisions covering the unparished parts of Harrogate town.

    This differs from the former Harrogate Borough Council mayor who covered the whole of the former borough and undertook a much wider range of engagements.

    Like the Harrogate Borough Council mayor, the charter mayor will also serve a term of 12 months.

    If a Harrogate Town Council is created, it will assume responsibility for the mayoral position from North Yorkshire Council.

    The new council has allocated an annual budget of £12,100 for Harrogate charter trustee business.

    The mayor and deputy mayor will be elected at a meeting of the Harrogate charter trustees on April 17 at the Civic Centre in Harrogate.

    Ceremonial robes and chains most recently used by the last HBC mayor, Victoria Oldham, will be used by the new mayor.

    On the final day of the council’s existence last week, Ms Oldham tweeted:

    “Thank you everyone who has made my 10 months as the last mayor of the borough of Harrogate so special.
    "I have enjoyed meeting so many caring, marvellous people. Also, special thanks to my deputy mayor Cllr Robert Windass for his help, and being my consort.”
    “The charter trustees are non-political. Nominations for mayor and deputy mayor will be made at the first annual meeting on Monday, April 17, where they will be voted on.
    “The mayor will wear the chains of office when acting as mayor. The robes are usually reserved for ceremonial occasions at which the mayor feels they are appropriate.“