This year’s Mayor Making in Wells Town Hall was different. The usual five hours of pomp and ceremony with 100 guests, drinks, supper, even a disco – none of that happened this time. Instead the Rule of Six meant only half a dozen took part in a basic 15-minute ceremony in the huge Wells Town Hall ballroom, then I as the new Mayor took my grandchildren for a pizza at nearby Ask restaurant.
But being chosen as the Mayor of the place you love is an enormous honour and deeply humbling. There is much work to do and here are some of the objectives I have set for my 18 months as Mayor:
-Work for the return of Wells assets handed to Mendip District Council in 1974, including the Market Place, Recreation Ground and Bishop’s Barn, with the resources to maintain them.
-Seek to secure the Portway Annexe for community use.
-Pursue the city council’s Green agenda, including launching the Wildlife Friendly City initiative with Councillor Joe Parker selling tree saplings for only £1 at Wells Market on October 31.
-Ensure that we continue to keep party politics out of city council business.
The last one should be plain sailing now. Numbers 1 to 3 will be challenging, not least because of Covid-19.
My wife Caroline is the new Mayoress and I have chosen the Wells branch of Macmillan Cancer Support as the Mayor's charity. I will write about this valuable charity in my next Mayor’s Dairy, which will contain a few events apart from city council work.
On Sunday we represented the city council at a service in Wells Cathedral to give thanks for the NHS.
Then on November 8th I am reading a lesson at the Remembrance Sunday service in St Cuthbert’s Church. Sadly because of Covid there will be no parade up the High Street and the wreaths will be laid in front of the church’s altar instead of the Cenotaph.
Last week it was very strange seeing a photo of my wife and I on the front page of the Journal – something I would not have permitted when I was editor!