Ilkley's Town Mayor Cllr Mark Stidworthy and Deputy Cllr Mayor Ros Brown were re-elected on Monday at the town council's annual meeting, a statutory meeting at which the Council formally approves its Committees, Policies and Procedures for the year ahead.
Responding to his re-election, Cllr Stidworthy said: “It has been a privilege to chair the Town Council since 2019, and I look forward to continuing in this role until the elections in 2023. I thank my Town Councillor colleagues who have worked so hard over the last year to achieve our joint objectives. We have dedicated and hard-working Town Councillors and staff who spend a lot of time thinking about how we can benefit the town with the resources available to us. I hope that any resident or local organisation seeking the support of the Town Council will receive a fair hearing at our meetings, and that our committees will actively canvas the views of residents about the issues that concern them.
Ilkley Town Council is a busy council pursuing an active agenda on environmental, community and local amenity issues, using public funds to develop our own projects for the improvement and renewal of the town as we emerge from the effects of the pandemic. Through direct funding and other forms of support we also facilitate the work of the many community groups, sports clubs, businesses and cultural organisations that make Ilkley so special. I am delighted that our town was recognised during this period as the Best Place to Live in the UK 2022.”
Cllr Ros Brown commented: "It has been an immense privilege to serve our community and Ilkley Town Council as Deputy Mayor over the past three years. I am delighted to have been elected again for this final year of the current Town Council. I have deputised for the Mayor and been proactive and hardworking in multiple roles within the Town Council. None of us imagined what lay ahead of us in May 2019 when first elected but together we have worked with others in the town to enrich the life of our community.
Residents appreciate the perspective and profile brought by a woman as Deputy Mayor, for example backing Ilkley Soroptimists’ support of the UN International day of the Elimination of Violence against Women, or requesting crime statistics reported to the Council include updates on domestic violence and abuse in relation to women and children in Ilkley. The most enjoyable element of the role is encouraging our young people and volunteers in the town. For example, I'm looking forward to joining Ilkley Town AFC Junior Girls U12s Lionesses and Tigresses football teams and their wider squad and coaches on Saturday at their end of season presentations. These talented and committed girls have worked incredibly hard and achieved great success this season."
Full meetings of Ilkley Town Council are usually held on the first Monday of each month at 7.30 pm in the Council chamber in Ilkley Town Hall, and members of the public are invited to attend.
The dates of these and other main committee meetings were agreed at the Annual Meeting, and can be found on the Town Council website at towncouncil.ilkley.org