Mayor of Mansfield

History

Establishment

The role of elected mayor was created following a public referendum on 2 May 2002. The referendum was the culmination of a campaign led by local businessman Stewart Rickersey to have a directly elected mayor for the district. The inaugural election was scheduled for 17 October 2002. Prior to the referendum Mansfield District Council was governed by a leader and cabinet system, in which a leader of the council was elected indirectly from the largest group elected to the council. Labour councillor Jim Hawkins had been leader of the council from its creation in 1974; he did not stand for election as mayor, with Labour's candidate being the deputy leader of the council, Lorna Carter. 2 May 2002

2002-2015: Tony Egginton

Tony Egginton was Mayor of Mansfield from October 2002 until retirement in May 2015, being replaced at scheduled elections by a fellow candidate for the Mansfield Independent Forum political party, Kate Allsop. Much was said of the first Executive Mayor, but during his time in office, Mansfield struggled with local land development and many projects across the region faltered.

Egginton (in office 2002–2015) was criticised by some councillors and residents for placing too much focus on self-publicity, as opposed to publicity for the town. The issue was raised again after his prominent role in the homecoming ceremony for swimmer Rebecca Adlington after her Gold Medal successes at the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games.

Election results

2002

2007

2011

The 2011 election was third direct election for the mayoralty of Mansfield. The sitting mayor, Tony Egginton, successfully defended his position, which he first won in 2002. On 5 May 2011 he was elected for the third time, winning in the second round of voting with the narrow majority of 67 over the Labour candidate Stephen Yemm.

2015

The 2015 election was fourth direct election for the mayoralty of Mansfield. The sitting mayor, Tony Egginton, had previously announced his intention to retire. On 7 May 2015 the candidates were former Labour-member turned Independent Phil Shields, Labour's Martin Lee and Mansfield Independent Forum's Kate Allsop, who after the second round of voting won from Martin Lee with a considerable majority.

2019

The 2019 election took place on 2 May 2019. The candidates were Incumbent Mayor Kate Allsop from the Mansfield Independent Forum (MIF), Conservative perennial candidate George Jabbour, and District and County Councillor Steve Garner, formerly with MIF, standing as an independent. In late March Mansfield Labour group selected a third candidate in former teacher and civil engineer Andy Abrahams, following the suspension of Cllr Sean McCallum and resignation of Paul Bradshaw. In March 2019, 2015 Mayoral Candidate and former District Councillor Philip Shields announced his intention to run in 2019.

2023

The 2023 mayoral election took place on 4 May, 2023. Final candidates declared in early April were Andy Abrahams (Labour), Mick Barton (Mansfield Independents), Andre Camilleri (Conservative), Karen Seymour (Trade Unionist and Socialist Coalition) and Julie Margaret Tasker-Love-Birks (Independent). Both the Conservative and Trade Unionist and Socialist Coalition candidates' campaigns included potentially seeking to abolish the position of executive mayor, subject to a successful public referendum.

Labour's Andy Abrahams was re-elected with a significant margin of over 4,000 votes, in contrast with his previous win by two votes.

The voting system was first past the post – changing from the supplementary vote system used previously.

References

References

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2. [https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-bristol-19554500 The lowest paid was on a salary of £53,151, in Mansfield]. ''BBC News Bristol'' September 2012. Retrieved 2 December 2014
3. [https://web.archive.org/web/20150518102122/http://www.chad.co.uk/news/local/mansfield-businessman-to-make-changes-1-695596 Mansfield businessman to make changes] ''Mansfield Chad'', local newspaper, July 2001 Retrieved 2 December 2014
4. [https://web.archive.org/web/20190503161729/https://www.chad.co.uk/news/politics/labour-wins-mansfield-mayoral-election-by-just-two-votes-1-9747442 Labour wins Mayoral election by just two votes] ''Chad'' (Mansfield newspaper) 3 May 2019. Retrieved 3 May 2019
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6. Mansfield Mayoral Election, April 2015. Published by Ruth Marlow, Returning Officer, Mansfield District Council. Accessed 22 May 2015
7. (20 July 1974). "Councillors: What they claimed". Nottingham Evening Post.
8. (19 October 2002). "Fringe candidates win mayor elections". The Guardian.
9. (3 May 2002). "More regions say yes to electing a mayor". [[guardian.co.uk]].
10. (January 2001). "Private developers have acquired an option on the former Courtaulds factory, on Belvedere Street". Mansfield and Ashfield Chad.
11. (October 2012). "Land at Belvedere Street. Application to Extend the Time Limit for Implementing Outline Planning Permission". Mansfield District Council.
12. (April 2002). "Two streets to be demolished in massive redevelopment". Mansfield and Ashfield Chad.
13. (September 2004). "Mayor's pledge over new Pleasley Estate". Mansfield and Ashfield Chad.
14. (2005). "Buildings are 'deadly threat". Mansfield and Ashfield Chad.
15. (November 2012). "Video: Demolition work at Pleasley Hill housing development". Mansfield and Ashfield Chad.
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19. (11 May 2011). "Historic third term for mayor". Mansfield and Ashfield Chad.
20. "Getting hitched: head to Mansfield Museum!". Mansfield District Council.
21. (15 August 2013). "'Bling' Mansfield mayor banned from wearing chains of office". British Broadcasting Corporation.
22. Hess, John. (16 August 2013). "Mayoral chains ban defended by Labour". British Broadcasting Corporation.
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24. (18 October 2002). "Former newsagent is new mayor". BBC News.
25. (19 July 2007). "Local and Mayoral elections 2007". house of Commons library.
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27. (22 January 2011). "Labour select Stephen Yemm as Mansfield's Mayoral Candidate". East Midlands Labour.
28. (6 May 2011). "Mansfield Council - Mayoral election results". Mansfield Borough Council.
29. [http://www.hucknalldispatch.co.uk/news/local/mansfield-mayor-s-pledge-on-town-s-gateway-1-6253189] Hucknall Despatch 19 November 2013 Retrieved 8 May 2015
30. (8 May 2015). "Mansfield Council - Mayoral election results". Mansfield District Council.
31. Electoral services, Mansfield District Council. (2014-10-22). "Mayoral election".
32. [https://www.chad.co.uk/news/councillors-resign-from-mansfield-independent-forum-1-9383769 Councillors resign from Mansfield Independent Forum] ''Mansfield Chad'', 5 October 2018. Retrieved 28 April 2019.
33. [https://www.nottinghamshire.gov.uk/council-and-democracy/councillors/contact-a-councillor#/details/stephen-garner Stephen Garner – Councillor details/Party history] Nottinghamshire County Council. Retrieved 28 April 2019.
34. [https://www.chad.co.uk/news/politics/who-is-in-the-running-to-be-mansfield-s-next-mayor-1-9696523 Who is in the running to be Mansfield’s next mayor?] ''Mansfield Chad'', 6 April 2019. Retrieved 28 April 2019.
35. "Labour Select Andy Abrahams as third Mayoral Candidate". Mansfield Chad.
36. "Philip Shields for Mayor facebook".
37. [https://www.mansfield.gov.uk/elections-voting/2023-elections-1 2023 Mayoral Election - District Council elections - Parish Council elections] Mansfield District Council. Retrieved 16 March 2023
38. [https://www.nottinghampost.com/news/local-news/row-between-mansfields-mayor-mp-8252422 Row between Mansfield's Mayor and MP over £20million London flats spend] ''[[Nottingham Post. Nottinghamshire Live]]'', 15 March 2023. Retrieved 16 March 2023
39. [https://nottstv.com/full-list-of-candidates-confirmed-for-mansfield-district-council-elections-and-mayoral-poll/ Full list of candidates confirmed for Mansfield District Council elections and mayoral poll] ''[[Notts TV]]'', 6 April 2023. Retrieved 12 April 2023
40. [https://www.chad.co.uk/news/politics/council/mansfield-mayoral-candidate-vows-to-axe-role-if-elected-3994376 Mansfield mayoral candidate vows to axe role if elected] ''Chad'', 20 January, 2023. Retrieved 2 May 2023
41. [https://www.chad.co.uk/news/politics/fourth-candidate-bidding-for-mayoral-election-in-mansfield-4063408 A Mansfield and North Nottinghamshire Trade Unionist and Socialist Coalition candidate has joined the race to be mayor of Mansfield] ''Chad'', 14 March, 2023. Retrieved 2 May 2023
42. [https://www.chad.co.uk/news/politics/labours-andy-abrahams-re-elected-as-mansfields-executive-mayor-4131955 Labour's Andy Abrahams re-elected as Mansfield's executive mayor] ''Chad'', 5 April, 2023. Retrieved 5 April, 2023
43. [https://www.electoralcommission.org.uk/who-we-are-and-what-we-do/our-views-and-research/elections-act/changes-voting-system-mayoral-and-pcc-elections Changes to the voting system for mayoral and PCC elections] [[Electoral Commission (United Kingdom). The Electoral Commission]], 2 February 2023. Retrieved 27 March 2023