Calls to save ceremonial mayor role in Carlisle
Concerns have been raised that Carlisle would lose a part of its heritage, “social fabric” and culture without a city mayor.
Concerns have been raised that Carlisle would lose a part of its heritage, “social fabric” and culture without a city mayor.
Plans to reform local government in Cumbria and create two new authorities in place of the existing seven will mean abolishing a number of roles and titles.
Alarm has been raised at the idea of the city losing the ceremonial mayor role, as Carlisle City Council will cease to exist after March 2023.
Colin May of the Putting Cumbria First political party is set to stand in the elections for the new Cumberland Council but has misgivings about the LGR process, including the loss of mayors.
He said:
“With no city-wide council to hold the charter for the mayor, we could lose a part of the social fabric, history and culture of the city,” he said.
“In the past, some of the mayors we’ve had have done a lot of work for charities.
“I’m a bit of a history buff and I always think history is something that should be kept from generation to generation.”
Without a city council, Mr May said the mayor role would have to be: “choosing someone from the community for good causes. You could probably do it that way and it could be done by a community vote. It would be decided by the people for the people.”
Current Mayor, Pamela Birks, said:
“I think in Carlisle it would be a travesty if we were to lose all that history and ceremony going forward. It’s part of the fabric and history of Carlisle. To lose that would lose the very essence of Carlisle.”
Although it is not a decision-making role, Cllr Birks said that people look to the mayor as its First Citizen. “People write to me because I’m the mayor as opposed to the councillor when they’ve got an issue.”
It is the mayor’s role to greet royalty when they visit the city.
Cllr Birks said:
“They want the chain there and the mayor means something to the people of Carlisle.”