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06
May
New mayor elected but old wounds remain in Ripon
Councillor Andrew Williams was elected Mayor of Ripon at a meeting tonight (May 6) that ended an unprecedented year of animosity.
Cllr Williams, who leads the Independent Putting Ripon Before Party Politics group, succeeded his arch-rival, Liberal Democrat Cllr Barbara Brodigan.
It is his third term as mayor since he became a city councillor in 1991.
Ripon Town Hall was packed with invited guests, including North Yorkshire Council leader Cllr Carl Les and his deputy, Cllr Gareth Dadd, for the annual mayor-making ceremony.
(from left) North Yorkshire councillors Carl Les, Gareth Dadd and George Jabbour.
Cllr Barbara Brodigan started the meeting as mayor before handing over the chains of office.
Cllr Williams was cheered as he entered the council chamber to put on the chains of office after his proposer, Cllr Peter Horton, praised his qualities as a councillor, businessman and Riponian.
A celebration at the Old Deanery followed, but the ill feeling of the last year flared up when Cllrs Brodigan, Pauline McHardy. Tony Duncan and Julie Ann Martin-Long defied tradition by abstaining on the vote to elect Cllr Williams as mayor.
Cllr Stuart Flatley, one of six councillors who voted in support of Cllr Williams, muttered ‘disgrace’ after the quartet raised their hands to abstain.
Councillors voting at the meeting.
Cllr Andrew Williams
Oath of allegiance
Ripon’s long history was highlighted in a speech that described the post of Mayor of Ripon as ‘relatively young’ because it ‘only’ dates back to 1604.
Watched by his daughter, Cllr Williams took the oath of allegiance and promised to see off heresies, treasons and felonies and suppress trespassers.
He named Ripon Walled Garden and Saint Michael’s Hospice as his chosen charities and said Cllrs Horton and Sherrie Hunt would be his deputy mayor and mayoress.
Cllr Jackie Crozier was recognised for her time as mayor.
Some of the invited guests at the mayor making ceremony.
Proposing the traditional vote of thanks to the retiring mayor, Cllr Williams said he was “grateful for the hard work and efforts” of both Cllr Brodigan and Cllr Jackie Crozier, who was elected mayor 12 months ago but resigned in September in the face of a no confidence vote brought by fellow councillors.
With his Independent Putting Ripon Before Party Politics group in the ascendancy, there seems little chance of Cllr Williams’ mayoral term not lasting the full 12 months.
A quieter summer may follow, but with city council elections in precisely one year, any respite from rowing is likely to be short lived.
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