The mayoralty

We have a new mayor with the appointment of Councillor Paul Fellows who has become our first citizen for the next twelve months.

Although the mayoralty in many towns and cities dates back several centuries, it is not an ancient office here in Bourne where the tradition is comparatively new, having been inaugurated less than fifty years ago with the formation of Bourne Town Council in 1974.

Even today it is often wrongly assumed that chairmen of the previous authority, Bourne Urban District Council, were also mayor, but the appointment was not created until the Local Government Act of 1974 when all urban authorities in England were replaced by district councils and from then on, Bourne's affairs came under the control of South Kesteven District Council based in Grantham.

The town, however, retained a parish council which, because of its historic status, was given permission to become a town council with a chairman who is also the mayor, and this authority took over the Coat of Arms and civic regalia previously enshrined in Bourne UDC. Our first citizen, therefore, is no more than the chairman of the parish council but by recent tradition, is elected as town mayor for twelve months by his peers with his or her partner as consort.

Apart from taking the chair at council meetings, the mayoral duties are varied and extend to attending public functions as a representative of the town council, garden fetes, concerts, dinners, coffee mornings, and the like, and therefore involve a constant round of glad-handing and a great deal of socialising including official openings of this and that because the presence of the mayor gives any event the civic seal of approval.

The office then, is one of adornment rather than achievement, as exemplified by the silver chain of office he or she wears during their tenure. It is filled by rotation on a basis of seniority rather than merit, a case of Buggins's turn, and as council seats are liable to change, it is possible to become mayor twice in a short space of time, as has happened to nine councillors in Bourne since 1974.

The meeting to appoint the new mayor is traditionally known as the mayor-making, an informal social occasion as well as an official meeting, which was held this year at the Corn Exchange on May 23rd when Councillor Fellows (Bourne Austerby East), aged 65, a retired drama teacher, was installed, the 46th appointment to office since 1974. He has lived in Bourne since 1985 and has been a member of the town council for the past six years.

The first Mayor of Bourne was Councillor Percy Wilson (1918-2005) who was leader of BUDC when the re-organisation took place and so he accepted the appointment for a short spell during the changeover period in 1974.

Since then, several landmarks have been established, notably by the late Mrs Shirley Cliffe (1932-2016) who set a record by serving three terms, in 1979-80, 1997-98 and 2008-09. In addition, her husband Ray Cliffe (1925-2006) also served two terms from 1975-76 and 1991-92. Another married couple, the late John Smith (1938-2015) and his wife Judy, also had an impressive record between them, John having been mayor twice in 1978-79 and 1996-97 and then his wife became mayor in 2005-06.

The late Mrs Marjorie Clark (1919-2007) is also remembered for being mayor in 1999-2000 at the remarkable age of 81, having already served a previous term in 1984-85. She lived to be 88 and became Bourne's longest serving councillor with 40 years of service to her credit including a two-year spell as the first woman chairman of South Kesteven District Council from 1990-1992.

One mayor has died in office. Councillor Richard Reeve (1936-87) was nine months through his term when he was rushed to hospital in Peterborough but did not recover and his place for the remaining period was taken by the deputy mayor, Councillor Sydney Pegden. Like others who have held the post before and since, Richard Reeve was proud to have worn the mayoral chain of office which was carried on his coffin during his funeral service at the Abbey Church attended by hundreds of people including many other mayors from neighbouring authorities.

Among our most popular mayors was Councillor Mary Parker (1926-2004) whose grace and dignity enhanced the office she filled from 1989-90. She had worked as a schoolteacher and soon gained a reputation for her warmth and friendliness which became known to the many people she stopped to talk to in the street.

During the year, the mayor will chair town council meetings and attend a variety of civic and social events and so it is a busy time for anyone prepared to tackle the task while the opportunity to become mayor now comes round far quicker than in the past. As the appointment is usually made in rotation on the basis of seniority, many of those who have already served before are often either too committed elsewhere or prefer to give others the chance to wear the chain of office.

The appointment of Mayor of Bourne may be one of public presence rather than authority but it remains within the grasp of everyone provided they wish to devote their time to the service of the community and to conduct themselves in an appropriate manner that wins the approval of their colleagues. Additional time is needed to fulfil a busy round of civic duties and it can be costly with the need for new clothes, entertaining and travelling, but the town council does provide a mayoral allowance to cover such out of pocket expenses.

There has in the past been criticism that the continued appointment of a mayor at town level may have become an anachronism but if it were abolished, we would be abandoning a popular and now familiar tradition. The achievements may be small but the chain of office does symbolise a civic pride in our town and for that reason alone, it is worth keeping.