About the Mayor
The Mayor is elected each year by the Council and serves for one year. They are considered the top citizen of the Wakefield District.
They work with the Leader and Cabinet to promote the Council and bring the community together.
The Mayor's role symbolises the authority, openness, and social unity.
In our Constitution the Mayor has the following responsibilities:
- to uphold and promote the purposes of the Constitution, and to interpret the Constitution when necessary
- to oversee meetings of the Council so that its business can be carried out efficiently and regarding the rights of Councillors and the interests of the community
- to ensure that the Council meeting debates matters of concern to the local community
- the place at which members who are not on the executive are able to hold the executive to account
- to promote public involvement in the Council's activities
- to attend such civic and ceremonial functions as the Council and they determine appropriate
Addressing the Mayor
- The Mayor’s full and proper title is ‘The Right Worshipful the Mayor of the City of Wakefield Metropolitan District’ (Councillor Darren Byford).
- where the Mayor and Consort are referred to jointly in a document the wording should be ‘The Right Worshipful the Mayor of the City of Wakefield Metropolitan District and Consort (Councillor Darren
Byford and Mr Peter Davis) - the correct mode of address in speech is: Mr Mayor and Consort
- The Mayor should be seated immediately on the right of the Chairman or other person presiding. In the event of it being desired to depart from this rule of precedence in favour of a distinguished guest the Mayor’s Office must be consulted and the Mayor’s consent obtained
- it is essential for the Mayor to be met by a responsible person immediately on arrival and escorted to the proper position
- A Mayor’s Officer will always accompany the Mayor and Consort. It is his/her duty to attend the Mayor and Consort and he/she does not attend as a guest of the organisation, it is not part of his/her duty to act as toastmaster or master of ceremonies at occasions attended by the Civic Heads