Political row at Mayor-Making ceremony

WARRINGTON’S new Mayor is Liberal Democrat Coun Graham Welborn – but his installation at the annual meeting of the borough council was marred by a row over who his successor should be.
When it was moved that another Liberal Democrat, Coun Brian Axcell, be elected as deputy Mayor, Labour leaders moved an amendment that Coun John Joyce be deputy Mayor.
The issue went to a secret vote and by 29 votes to 21, Coun Axcell won the day.
But Labour leader Coun Terry O’Neill made his group’s displeasure clear when he revealed that at the Mayoral Selection Committee he and his deputy, Coun Mike Hannon, had voted against Coun Axcell and the issue had only been decided on the casting vote of council leader Ian Marks.
Coun O’Neill reminded members that two years ago the council had agreed the Mayoralty should be awarded by rotation.
If Coun Axcell now became the next Mayor it would mean there would have been three successive Liberal Democrat Mayors.
Labour would have supported a Conservative nomination, he said, but as no Conservative wished to be Mayor, the post should have been offered to Labour.
Coun Hannon recalled that the year he was elected Mayor the Liberal Democrats had opposed him and had, in fact, boycotted the Mayor-making ceremony.
He agreed that in past, Labour had “hogged” the Mayoralty – between 1986 and 1999 there were 14 successive Labour Mayors – and said that he personally believed this had been wrong.
This was why, two years ago, with all party support, it had been agreed the Mayoralty should be award on a rotational basis.
Coun Welborn, born and bred in Warrington, has been a borough councillor since 2004 and is the town’s 125th Mayor. His wife, Elaine, also a councillor, is Mayoress.
The couple have a son, daughter and two grandchildren.
Coun Welborn told the council his theme for the year would celebrate the work of the voluntary sector and his special charities would be Age Concern and the YMCA.
The council re-elected Coun Marks and Coun Keith Bland (Cons) as leader and deputy leader.
Six other members of the executive board will be Liberal Democrats – Bob Barr (Planning, regeneration and housing), Celia Jordan (Health and skills improvement), Alan Litton (Environment Services), Liz Smith (Neighbourhoods and Communities), Roy Smith (Community Services) and Sharon Wilson (Service to Customers).
Two will be Conservatives – Fiona Bruce (Finance and Value for Money) and Sheila Woodyatt (Children’s Services).