Why does Garstang Town Council have a Mayor?
The Local Government Act 1972 was the legislation that reformed local government, re-drew local boundaries and allowed the creation of what were known as ‘successor parish councils’ which would cover the areas that were formerly the responsibility of a municipal corporation.
If such an area was declared to be a town, then the council would be known as a Town Council and the chairman of that council would be the Town Mayor.
Garstang had formerly been covered by the Garstang Rural District Council, and as such had a chairman. Instead of being a Parish Council, it was decided that Garstang would have a Town Council, and a Mayor.
The Annual meeting of the Town Council, in May each year is the event at which the new mayor takes up his or her post for the coming year.
How is the Mayor selected?
The office of the Town Mayor and Deputy Mayor is based on a system of seniority, dependent on the length of time of service of the various members of the Council and the number of times that each member has previously held the office of Town Mayor, so that the office shall normally pass to the longest serving member of the Council who has been Town Mayor the least number of times previously and has been a member of the Council for a minimum of 3 years. All members of the Council are expected to take their turn in the office of Town Mayor.
Who was Garstang’s first Mayor?
When the Local Government Act came into being in 1974, the first Mayor of Garstang Town Council for 1974-1975 was Councillor Jonathan Greenhow, known to all as Jonty. Jonty loved the town and the people, he served on the council for years, he was a member of the Town Trust, and was in the local fire brigade for many years, following his father who was Superintendent of the brigade.
Jonty actually served two consecutive terms as Garstang’s first Mayor, covering the period from April 1974 through to May 1976. This was due to the mayor elect moving out of the district prior to the mayor making for 1975 – 1976.
You can find information about the Greenhow family and their connection to the local fire brigade here:
Here is a list of all the mayors who have served Garstang since 1974:
1974 -75 J. Greenhow
1975 – 76 J. Greenhow
1976 – 77 F. Moreland
1977 – 78 E. Livesey
1978 – 79 D. Clarke
1979 – 80 F. Moreland
1980 – 81 T. M. Wilkinson
1981 – 82 P. J. F. Herbert
1982 – 83 P. M. L. Barton
1983 – 84 D. G. Halford
1984 – 85 P. J. F. Herbert
1985 – 86 T. Horn
1986 – 87 I. Simpson
1987 – 88 T. M. Wilkinson
1988 – 89 D. G. Halford
1989 – 90 A. Cornthwaite
1990 – 91 R. Shorrock
1991 – 92 R. M. Lang
1992 – 93 P. Rogers
1993 – 94 B. R. Andrews
1994 – 95 E. Barlow
1995 – 96 E. Livesey
1996 – 97 I. Simpson
1997 – 98 P Harrison
1998 – 99 G. Lamb
1999 – 00 B. Andrews
2000 – 01 N. Hoyles
2001 – 02 D. Atkins
2002 – 03 T. Balmain
2003 – 04 A. Humphreys
2004 – 05 D. Williams
2005 – 06 S. Harvey
2006 – 07 B. Pinder
2007 – 08 J. Williams
2008 – 09 M. Halford
2009 – 10 G. Harter
2010 – 11 G. Lamb
2011 – 12 D. Atkins
2012 – 13 S. Perkins
2013 – 14 C. Ryan
2014 – 15 G. Salisbury
2015 – 16 L. Harter
2016 – 17 A. Cornthwaite
2017 – 18 P. Ryder
2018 – 19 L. Hynes
2019 – 20 E. Webster
2020 – 21 E. Webster (retained for a second term due to covid)
2021 – 22 A. Allan
2022 – 23 J. Leech
2023 – A. Pearson