Mayor of Wigan

Last updated

The Worshipful
Mayor of Wigan
Coat of arms of Wigan Metropolitan Borough Council.png
Incumbent
Kevin Anderson (50th Mayor of Wigan)
since 25 May 2023
AppointerGeneral Assembly of the Wigan Council
Term length 1 year
Inaugural holderRobert Matthew Lyons
Formation Wigan Council Constitution
1974
Deputy Deputy Mayor of Wigan
Debbie Parkinson
Website Office of the Mayor

The mayor of the Metropolitan Borough of Wigan is the first citizen, chairperson of the Wigan Council and elected representative of the Wigan Borough and the Council.

Contents

Duties of the mayor and its origins

The mayoralty of Wigan goes back to its first creation in 1246 AD, when Henry III granted the town its first royal charter; however, since 1974 the office of the mayor has been created by legislative statute of the Constitution of Wigan Council (Article 5, Section 1). [1] The mayor of Wigan as the 'First Citizen' has highest precedence unless a member of the royal family is present. As the elected representative of the borough, the mayor acts as focal point for the community as well as promoting the borough and forging national and international links, which includes continuing links with the Mayor of Angers in Western France as the twinned city. The official position of the mayor and the council includes presiding over the meetings of the council, of which, if the mayor is unable to preside at the time, it is the duty of the elected deputy mayor to temporarily take his place. Wigan Town Hall in the centre of Wigan serves as the official location where the office of the mayor is located and also serves as the location for meetings of the council in the main chamber. The Town Hall of Leigh is often used by the mayor and other councillors as a second headquarters.

The position of the mayor is politically neutral and so even though the mayor remains chairman of the council, the council assembly elects itself a leader of the council who will also chair the Wigan Cabinet. The Office of the Mayor is located in the Wigan Town Hall were the Council Chamber is also located.

When in office, other duties include receiving members of the Royal Family and other state visitors, attending ceremonies and engagements of charities as representative that take place within or out of the borough. The mayor also leads the service on Remembrance Sunday at the cenotaph of Wigan Town Centre in November.

The longest continuously serving mayor of Wigan was Stephen Dawber, who served two consecutive terms as mayor from May 2019 to May 2021, due to the inability of councillors to meet to select a new mayor in 2020 due to the COVID-19 Pandemic.

Current mayor

The current mayor is Kevin Anderson, who was elected by the council general assembly and officially inaugurated on 25 May 2023. He succeeded Marie Morgan, who served from 26 May 2022 to 25 May 2023. [2]

Succession, deputy mayor, mayoress and consort

The deputy mayor of Wigan is elected by the council assembly as second citizen who assists the elected mayor and their consort in their duties. The deputy mayor is also first in succession to the mayoralty. The current deputy mayor is Michael McLoughlin.

Traditionally if the incumbent is a gentleman, the wife of the mayor would take the title of mayoress of Wigan. However, when a female mayor is elected, her husband would assume the role of mayor's consort. [3]

Charity appeal

Traditionally the mayor of Wigan can choose one or more charities to support throughout their year in office.

Style and title

Styles of
The Mayor of Wigan
Coat of arms of Wigan Metropolitan Borough Council.png
Reference style The Mayor of Wigan
Spoken styleMr, Mayor
Alternative style Councillor

The mayor of Wigan is entitled to the style of "The Worshipful" however the style is only used when referring to the office rather than the holder and is not retained after they have left office. The mayor is referred to in speech as "Mr. Mayor" and if a female councillor is in office they are referred to as "Madam Mayor".[ citation needed ]

The full title of the current Mayor is: "The Worshipful The Mayor of Wigan Council, Councillor Kevin Anderson"[ citation needed ]

List of mayors of Wigan

(note: * = deceased)

No.MayorTerm
1Robert Matthew Lyons*19741975
2George Macdonald*19751976
3Joseph Albert Eckersley*19761977
4Thomas Gerard Morgan*19771978
5Leonard Sumner*19781979
6Harry Milligan*19791980
7William Charles Priest France*19801981
8James Bridge*19811982
9Thomas Jones*19821983
10Thomas Isherwood*19831984
11Peter Hull*19841985
12George Alfred Lockett*19851986
13Jack Sumner*19861987
14James Jones*19871988
15David Norris Caley*19881989
16Audrey Bennett19891990
17Ronald McAllister.*19901991
18John Horrocks*19911992
19Arthur Wright*19921993
20Joseph Clarke*19931994
21William Stanley Simmons*19941995
22Norman Bernard Holt*19951996
23Anthony Bernard Coyle*19961997
24Kenneth Pye*19971998
25Samuel Little*19981999
26(part) William Smith*19992000
27(part) Evelyne Smith19992000
28Joan Hurst*20002001
29John E. Hilton20012002
30Geoffrey Roberts20022003
31Wilfred Brogan*20032004
32John Hilton20042005
33Brian Jarvis20052006
34Eunice Smethurst20062007
35John O'Brien20072008
36Rona Winkworth*20082009
37Mark Aldred20092010
38Michael Winstanley20102011
39Joy Birch20112012
40Myra Whiteside20122013
41Billy Rotherham20132014
42Phyllis Cullen20142015
43Susan Loudon20152016
44Ronald Conway20162017
45Bill Clarke20172018
46Susan Greensmith20182019
47Stephen Dawber20192021
48Yvonne Klieve20212022
49Marie Morgan20222023
50Kevin AndersonIncumbent

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References

  1. "Agenda for Constitution on Tuesday, 25th July, 2023". 9 May 2007.
  2. Lythgoe, George (25 May 2023). "'Queen of Wigan' makes way for new mayor". Manchester Evening News.
  3. "About the Mayor".