By Harry Mottram: It’s a date eagerly looked forward to each year by the families, friends and civic colleagues of the new mayor – the annual Mayor Making ceremony in the town hall. It is a chance to thank those who volunteer their time and expertise to serve the town through the council’s various works. From caring for the allotments to planning, and from highways to the upkeep of open spaces such as the Furlong Field the town council has a wealth of responsibilities. And it should be added the council has vacancies for councillors – so if you’d like to serve the town and have an insight into local Government then do contact the town clerk Vicky Brice (Vicky.Brice@axbridge-tc.gov.uk).
In fact the town clerk has invited residents, the media and councillors to the ceremony on Wednesday 10th May at 8pm (arrive around 7.30pm to be sure of a seat) in the Town Hall.
The current Mayor is Town Councillor Pauline Ham was also mayor back in 1995 and in 2017 – and Pauline is also a Somerset County Councillor – elected in the 2022 county elections – while her deputy (and normally the next mayor) is Frankie Mitton.
The ceremony sees the transfer of the chain of office, the gown and feathered hat from the current mayor to the new one together with words from those concerned. A reception is usually held afterwards.
It may sound like some ancient tradition but in fact it is and it isn’t. The current mayoral set up only dates to 1974 when the office and title was reintroduced with Jack Todd as the first mayor in the newly created town council. This followed the axing of the old rural district council in 1974 under the Conservative administration’s local government reforms. The rural district council had been in existence since 1895 when local government went through major changes as Britain embraced local democracy – at the time it had offices in the town and governed not just Axbridge but all the main villages in the area.
Previous to that there had been local government dating back to 1557 when under the Queen Mary charter the earlier Craft Guild became a Borough Corporation and the former Portreeve became it’s Mayor. The town’s first citizen has an even older origin with the trade guild – dating back to 1204 and the first charter of King John which essentially allowed the town to run its own affairs and ended much of the old feudal system that had held sway since 1066. Going back before the Norman conquest Axbridge was founded by the Saxons – we can assume the equivalent of mayor then dates to either 871 when King Alfred set up defensive towns or burhs including Axbridge or 910 when the town was first listed in official documents. Although I’m sure local historians will correct me!
In recent years the office of mayor has been held by many well known personalities in the town including the late Denis Bratt, the late Bob Bardle and the late and twice mayor Priscilla Chard. Others have included the cycling mayor Jennifer Trotman, Barbara Wells who has been a driver of the heritage trail, Edith Channon who ensured the 2000 pageant took place, the highly experienced and thrice mayor Mike Taylor who is still on the council as is twice mayor Kate Browne and also no longer on the council Tony Wilson but who appeared in the recent Harold Pinter play in the town hall. A full list is displayed in the town hall – and is well worth a read.
And the mayor making also sees the swearing in of a new deputy mayor and confirmation of other posts in the council.
The agenda for the mayor making:
- ELECTION OF MAYOR 2023/24
- DECLARATION OF ACCEPTANCE OF OFFICE – TO BE SIGNED BY THE MAYOR
- ELECTION OF DEPUTY MAYOR 2023/24
- APPOINTMENT OF THE SERGEANT AT MACE, TOWN BAILIFF AND TOWN CRIER
- TO DEFER ALL OTHER BUSINESS TO THE NEXT MEETING
- DATE AND TIME OF NEXT MEETING
There is more on the council at https://axbridge-tc.gov.uk/
Axbridge News is edited by Harry Mottram and is published for the interest of himself and fellow residents
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Email:harryfmottram@gmail.com
Website:www.harrymottram.co.uk
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