Former blast furnace worker becomes Stockton’s new mayor
A FORMER blast furnace worker has been ushered in as the new mayor of Stockton.
Ingleby Barwick councillor Kevin Faulks was welcomed as the borough’s new mayor at Wednesday’s AGM at Thornaby Pavilion (May 26).
The father-of-two has been a councillor on the estate since 2005 and worked at Redcar blast furnace from 1977 until its closure.
He replaces the borough’s first Asian mayor Cllr Mohammed Javed who thanked councillors and the public for all their support over the past 12 months – particularly after he was admitted to intensive care with covid late last year.
Unlike Middlesbrough’s mayor and the wider Tees Valley mayoral position, the role in Stockton is a ceremonial one.
It is typically given to the most senior sitting councillor who hasn’t filled the role already.
The mayor represents the authority at functions and raises money for chosen charities.
After the meeting, Cllr Faulks said he was proud to take up the position.
He added: “I’m passionate about the environment and I’d really like to work with local litter-pick groups as well as visiting schools and organisations during my mayoral year.
“I also do a lot of volunteering with charities with my family and I’m looking forward to continuing to help as many people as I can by fundraising for some great causes.”
The mayor’s named charities this year are Little Sprouts, and Remembering Rebecca, which supports children and families affected by neurological conditions.
Cllr Fauks also hopes to raise money for the mayor’s benevolent fund as well as continuing the mayor’s “100 heroes” challenge launched by Cllr Javed.
The retiring rayor raised £9,400 for the Great North Air Ambulance Service, The Halo Project, and Macmillan Cancer Support with the money split evenly between the charities.
Cllr Javed spent time in intensive care at North Tees Hospital last November after becoming seriously ill with covid.
The member for Parkfield and Oxbridge has campaigned to boost vaccine uptake after recovering – particularly among Teesside’s ethnic minorities.
The Labour member thanked councillors and the public after what he said had been a “difficult year” – adding he’d been “overwhelmed” by messages of support he’d received.
He told the chamber his experience had spurred him on to stress the importance of taking up the vaccine.
Cllr Javed said: “On a daily basis I spend time talking to people from various groups to spread the message the vaccine is safe and is the only way we’ll be able to move forward through the pandemic – and hopefully back to normal.”
Later in the meeting, council leader Cllr Bob Cook announced an unchanged Labour cabinet line up for the year ahead with councillors retaining the briefs they’ve held for the past 12 months.
Ingleby Barwick west councillor Ross Patterson was also named deputy mayor for the year ahead.