Nominations for Wrexham’s new mayor and deputy set to be debated by councillors

The reports have been published by Wrexham Council ahead of the Full Council this week, revealing the formal outcome of the Constitution Working Group.

The Constitutional Working Group meet behind closed doors with a public output of a name emerging of the councillor that will become the Deputy Mayor, and therefore usually the Mayor a year later.

We have highlighted the work previously, with the conventional process working through names of councillors who are interested in the role, attendance at meetings and seniority – with time served on the council also used as a guide. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

The meeting this week notes the role of the group, “…is to reach agreement between all Members of the Council to ensure that the formal decision at the Annual Meeting of the Council is unanimous. The dignity of the Office of Mayor and of the Council generally would be impaired by any public disagreement on such a matter at the Council’s Annual Meeting.”

As we have previously reported opposition groups pulled out of the group amid claims the administration ‘reran process three times’ to get their own way following the two nominations emerging this year.

To avoid such a ‘public disagreement’ at the Annual Meeting in May the Full Council will look to agree the following recommendations this month, which have been made by those who remain on the Constitution Working Group:

3. RECOMMENDATIONS
3.1 That it be recommended to the Annual Meeting of the Council that Councillor Paul
Rogers be nominated for the office of Mayor of the County Borough for the year
2023/24, subject to his acceptance of the office of Mayor.

3.2 That it be recommended to the Annual Meeting of the Council that Councillor
Beryl Blackmore be nominated for the office of Deputy Mayor of the County
Borough for the year 2023/24, subject to her acceptance of the office of Deputy
Mayor.

It appears likely a debate will take place around the recently suspended Paul Rogers being nominated for Mayor, with questions already being raised if ‘Councillor’ can be used in the papers for the meeting due to the suspension.

The suspension started on the 16 February and will end on Tuesday, 16 May.

Councillor Beryl Blackmore has been nominated for deputy mayor.

The Mayor and Deputy Mayor will be respectively formally elected and appointed at the Annual Meeting of the Council to be held on Tuesday 23 May 2023.

Wednesday’s Full Council meeting will also consider a report ‘Review of Allocation of Seats to Political Groups’, which has the make up of the Constitution Working Group included as part of the papers.