Oswestry councillors select mayor and deputy for the coming year

Current deputy mayor Councillor Olly Rose is lined up to take the top job for the 2023/24 civic year, while her position as deputy will be filled by Councillor Mike Isherwood.

Their appointments will be confirmed with a vote at the annual mayor making ceremony in May.

Councillor Rose is next in line to take a turn as mayor in accordance with a town council policy which sees the longest-serving councillor nominated for the position, with those who have already served moved to the bottom of the list.

Nominating Councillor Rose as the next mayor at a meeting on Monday evening, fellow Green councillor Rosie Radford said: “Olly will bring a commitment to the role and a desire for harmony and progress.

“She has been a councillor for a number of years and has been deputy mayor for what has been a busy year so far.”

Councillor Rose’s upcoming stint as mayor also represents a role reversal, as she previously served as mayoress to her partner, fellow councillor Duncan Kerr, who will now become her consort.

Seconding the proposal, Conservative councillor and former mayor Mark Jones said: “I look forward to Olly being the mayor, and Duncan will be the consort.

“I know Duncan didn’t have the full experience as the mayor due to Covid, so it will give him chance to do some of the work that he didn’t get to do before.”

Outgoing mayor Jay Moore then nominated Green Party colleague Mike Isherwood as deputy mayor elect, saying: “Mike will be a fantastic deputy mayor, but I will save the speech until he is up for the actual mayor role.”

This was seconded by Councillor Les Maguire, who added: “He will do a very good job.”

The appointment of both councillors into their new roles was unanimously supported.