Cllr Margaret Wells takes office as Lord Mayor of York

Cllr Margaret Wells, Labour ward councillor for Clifton, has returned to the role following to York Council’s Annual General Meeting (AGM) and Mayor Making ceremony on Thursday, May 21.

The Lord Mayor said it was a real honour to return to the role which she held in 2024/5.

Cllr Claire Douglas, the authority’s Labour leader, said it was a pleasure to welcome Cllr Wells back to the role after her previous fantastic work.

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Cllr Wells succeeded Conservative Cllr Martin Rowley at the ceremony on Thursday.

Osbaldwick and Derwent’s Cllr Rowley served alongside former Conservative councillor Paul Doughty who took on the role of Sheriff of York during the last municipal year.

Cllr Rowley’s time in the role included the creation of a Lord Mayor’s Commendation Scheme set up to recognise the work of selected people in York.

Cllr Wells’ civic party for the coming municipal year includes her consort Trevor Gant, Geoff Cossins who is serving as Sheriff of York and Stuart Jarman, the Sheriff’s Consort.

Cllr Margaret Wells (left) served as York’s Lord Mayor in 2024/5 (Image: Supplied)

The incoming Lord Mayor said she looked forward to meeting the amazing people of York and helping to raise money for fantastic causes.

Cllr Wells said: “It is a real honour to be chosen as the Lord Mayor of York again.

“I’d like to take this opportunity to thank Cllr Rowley for all his hard work and dedication during his tenure as Lord Mayor.

“Alongside my colleagues in the Civic Party, I’m looking forward to continuing our work as ambassadors for this fantastic city.”

Council Leader Cllr Douglas said she was grateful to Cllr Rowley and the outgoing Civic Party for their outstanding work.

The Labour council leader said: “Mayor making is an ancient tradition steeped in history and it is a real honour to formally welcome York’s new Lord Mayor and Civic Party for the next year.

“It is a pleasure to welcome Cllr Wells back as The Lord Mayor after the fantastic work she did along with the Civic Party for the city when she was last Lord Mayor.”

The office of York’s mayor dates back to 1217 and was first held by Hugh de Selby.

It became a lord mayoralty under Richard II in 1389 and is second only to the Lord Mayor of London in precedence in England.

Past office holders include William Harrington, the great-grandfather of Guy Fawkes, architect John Carr and confectionary magnates Joseph Terry and John Rowntree.

York is one of 15 towns and cities which still has a sheriff, an office whose origins date back to Anglo-Saxon times.

They were officials appointed to help govern the country’s shires and were called shire reeves, which gradually became sheriff.

Sheriffs represented the monarch at a local level, helping to collect taxes and administer justice, but the role is now ceremonial.