‘Absolutely honoured’: Scarborough’s new charter mayor vows to uphold town’s civic traditions

Coun Janet Jefferson has become the new Charter Mayor of Scarborough

Coun Janet Jefferson has been elected as Scarborough’s charter mayor and has vowed to champion the town’s civic events.

At a Town Hall meeting on Thursday, May 31, Coun Janet Jefferson was chosen to be Scarborough’s new charter mayor.

A North Yorkshire Independent, she represents the Castle division on North Yorkshire Council and succeeds Coun John Ritchie who has taken the role of deputy charter mayor.

Coun Janet Jefferson said: “I’m just absolutely honoured to be the second charter mayor of Scarborough.

“I was mayor of the Borough of Scarborough from 2007-2008 and I’m really looking forward to all the ceremony and events and maintaining the town’s ceremonial events.”.

“I’m looking forward to meeting all the people and the community in Scarborough.

“This was a historic event with a lovely family atmosphere and many residents in attendance.”

Scarborough’s charter trustees are councillors representing the town’s unparished areas and work to ensure the continuation of the civic, historic and ceremonial traditions of the former Borough of Scarborough.

The current charter trustees for Scarborough are:

Coun Janet Jefferson – Castle
Coun John Ritchie – Woodlands
Coun Tony Randerson – Eastfield
Coun Liz Colling – Falsgrave and Stepney
Coun Eric Broadbent – Northstead
Coun Rich Maw – Weaponness and Ramshill

The charter trustees will remain in their roles until a new town council is created to take responsibility for the civic duties, but plans have been delayed with its inception not likely to be until next year.

North Yorkshire Council voted last year to approve a revised proposal to create 15 single-member wards in Scarborough instead of the originally planned five wards with three representatives in each.

That led to a third public consultation regarding the town council’s creation which was open until the end of May.

More details on the consultation can be found here: https://www.northyorks.gov.uk/your-council/consultations-and-engagement/current-consultations/consultation-possible-warding-pattern-proposed-scarborough-town-council.