09
Apr
Harrogate GP to become town’s next mayor
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Councillor Viv Poskitt is to become the next Mayor of Harrogate.
Cllr Poskitt, who has been a GP for over 25 years, is a partner at Moss Healthcare.
Elected to represent St George’s Ward at the inaugural Harrogate Town Council elections last year, she will succeed fellow Liberal Democrat Cllr Chris Aldred as mayor.
Her one-year appointment is expected to be formally ratified at the annual meeting of the town council at Harrogate Civic Centre on May 6. Members of the public can attend.
A town council statement said Cllr Poskitt has been an “active supporter of local initiatives, including fundraising for community causes, promoting active travel, engaging with residents and promoting health and wellbeing across Harrogate”.
Cllr Councillor Poskitt wrote the following poem in response to the news:
I'm used to chairing committees from school to sixth form and universities.
I've given lectures and spoken to large audiences,
I'm not afraid of public speaking and all its nuances.
I've cleared my diary and saved annual leave
To allow me to attend events when we receive
Invitations from the public to cut a ribbon,
meet with groups or open a curtain.
I've always been one for spinning plates,
I can cycle through traffic without being late.
I feel I have the skills and ability
To carry out this role with dignity.
A sense of fun when appropriate,
I would love to represent Harrogate.
Cllr Aldred said:
“Cllr Poskitt brings dedication, compassion and a strong track record of public service. Her unique blend of professional experience, community engagement and creativity reflects the values of Harrogate, and I look forward to handing the baton over to Viv so she can continue representing the town in the year ahead.”
The main duties of the mayor are to chair full council meetings and attend engagements representing the council and the town.
The role of Mayor of Harrogate has existed in different formats since 1884, through the many iterations of local government in the area.
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