New Louth mayors will first have to serve town as deputy
THE way Louth's mayor is elected will change after councillors voted in favour of new proposals.
The heated debate took place at Louth Town Council's latest meeting and Mayor Councillor Jill Makinson-Sanders proposed that future mayors should spend a year as deputy, before stepping up to the full role.
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CIVIC CHANGE: Mayor of Louth Jill Makinson-Sanders.After a lengthy discussion her proposal was agreed.
Currently the mayor – also chairman of the council – goes straight into the role of mayor, and then spends the following year as deputy to assist the new mayor.
Councillor Laura Stephenson agreed with the proposal, saying: "Just because something has happened for a long time doesn't make it right. We would not have got rid of slavery! In most organisations it's normal that you are vice- chairman before you are the chairman."
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Cllr Trevor Marris, twice a former mayor, was against the move. He told the meeting at Sessions House: "It's simple, you get the gist of going straight in as mayor, within two or three weeks.
"It's a simple idea and nowhere else is like Louth, so why should we be the same as everyone else? Why mend it if it works?"
Cllr George Horton was in favour of change, and said: "Change is for the better and in my opinion sometimes people are reluctant to change. Being asked to go to every public occasion is great and becoming deputy after being mayor is deflating. As a deputy you are only asked about five times a year to cover an event the mayor can't go to."
Cllr Eileen Ballard, who was mayor in 1997 and 2005 said: "There has been no problem with the system before and it's almost an insult that you think we need change."
The debate was put to vote and councillors voted 11 to six in favour of changing to the new system.
It has not been revealed if the former deputy mayor Brian Burnett will become mayor again next.
3 Comments
by ludite
Saturday, March 09 2013, 3:19PM
“I agree with Bolshies comment that if our Mayor could bring this outdated system of ceremonial back slapping to an end local rate payers could find far more worthy ways to spend the huge sum the councillors incur each year.”
by Bolshie
Wednesday, March 06 2013, 8:22AM
“Another load of nonsense from someone in a non-job. I looked at this council's accounts for 2011/12 last time this story came up. 21 'voluntary' councillors cost £114k to maintain and all they did was occupy the 2 part time clerks, oversee the 2 cemetry workers (another £75K between them, but the cost of the cemetry workers is neccessary), allocate a few allotments, organise the christmas lights being turned on and the maintenance of a few litter bins and CCTV cameras. They did represent the Town on some committee stuff here and there. Bottom line is that of the £195K this 'government body' spent in 11/12 70% went directly on councillors and their support. The same effect could easily be achieved by the existing county council on its current resources so how is this more valuable than keeping front line services running?
Do the decent thing Mrs Mayor - stop worrying about what you look like on civic ceremonies and start disbanding the council: grab your place in history as the 'Last Mayor of Louth'!”
by moribound
Wednesday, March 06 2013, 8:22AM
“Yes, if any mayor of Louth needed a probationary year, it was this poor woman who misjudged everything and has been a public relations disaster.”