Town councillors will be electing a new Mayor and Deputy Mayor of Newtown & Llanllwchaiarn next week at their annual meeting - so who might it be?

Next week, town councillors will be electing a new Mayor and Deputy Mayor of Newtown, but who it could be remains a mystery!

The answer is plainly - any of the 14 current town councillors!

The Mayor is the first citizen of the town, holding status in the order of precendent above all others in Newtown besides the Soverign, the Lord Lieutenant and the Chair of Powys County Council.

Their primary role is to chair meetings of the town council, determining who speaks, summarising the debate and exercising a casting vote in the event of a tie. Their secondary role is that of civic leader, representing residents and championing local causes, events and businesses, in a non-political manner. The Deputy Mayor deputises for the Mayor when they are not available.

The role of Mayor is hard work! It's a role which requires a lot of time and is not very well understood by the electorate at large and implies some special power or duties - which it does not have, but is incredibly rewarding (I am incredibly proud that I got to do it in my lifetime). 

Convention dictates that the Deputy Mayor, currently Cllr Mike Childs, will move up to Mayor, but this convention is not always followed. An election by show of hands, or ballot will be carried out if more than one councillor is proposed and seconded for each of the two roles.

Each role is entitled to a senior allowance of £1500 and £500 per annum respectively.

Whoever is elected will become the 32nd Mayor of Newtown & Llanllwchaiarn and take up their position as the principle civic leader of our town.