Basingstoke and Deane’s new mayor, Cllr David Leeks, donned his robes and chain of office for the first time at the annual mayor-making last week.
Speaking about the ceremony on Thursday, Cllr Leeks said: “It was a bit daunting, but I think it went well.”
He takes over from Cllr Keith Chapman, who reflected fondly on his 12-month term during the event.
Mayors are appointed for one-year terms and by tradition the post passes to the longest serving councillor.
Cllr Martin Biermann was next in line, but declined the opportunity after successfully contesting his Chineham seat at this month’s borough council elections.
He said: “To do the job of mayor properly, you’ve got to give it a fair bit of time and if I’m going to do it I want to be able to do it properly.
“This year, I just couldn’t take it on, particularly after having fought a very challenging election.”
Cllr Biermann is instead taking on the role of deputy mayor, representing Basingstoke and Deane at events Mayor Leeks is unable to attend.
“I think I’ll be able to work usefully with the councillor who leap-frogged- over me,” he said.
Born in Tadley, Mayor Leeks has lived in the area his whole life and has been a councillor for 18 years.
His duties as mayor include fundraising for charities who work directly for the benefit of Basingstoke’s community.
He announced his three charities will be the Samaritans, Basingstoke and Deane Disability Forum and Radcan.
He is a former Samaritan volunteer and as a wheelchair-user has chosen to assist the Disability Forum in its work to raise awareness about disability issues.
The mayor’s third charity, Radcan, is campaigning to get radiotherapy treatment in Basingstoke. Patients currently have to travel to Southampton or Guildford.
Mayor Leeks said: “I would like to emphasise the role of the volunteer during my year as mayor.”
He said he hoped his attendance at community and civic events would help raise awareness about disability access.
The wheelchair-user continued: “It’s going to be interesting. It would be nice to be able to go through the front door at all the events.
“It only needs a slight improvement, but access everywhere could be better.”
His predecessor, Cllr Chapman, agreed, adding: “I think he will have certain challenges if he goes out of the borough with his wheelchair, but that might be a good thing if it raises awareness.”
Cllr Chapman had completed his second stint as mayor of Basingstoke and Deane, having first taken the job in 1992.
“The mayor’s role has changed a lot,” he said. “I was involved a lot more with business this time.
“I made a concerted effort to involve business in all my civic functions as they help bring wealth into the borough.”
During his year as mayor, Cllr Chapman raised over £45,000 for the Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen and Families Association (SSAFA), the Alzheimer’s Society and Destination Basingstoke.
“The year was fantastic, we did an awful lot of stuff,” he said. “I decided I would rather go to the borough events than attend civic days, so if a local event came up then that would have priority.”
Mark Green, support services manager for the Alzheimer’s Society, said: “We would like to thank everyone involved in raising such a tremendous amount during the last year.”
He said that almost 18,000 people in Hampshire are living with dementia.
“We rely on voluntary donations like this to continue our vital work,” added Mr Green.
Jane Ayre, SSAFA’s divisional secretary for Basingstoke, coordinates a team working to assist service and ex-service families.
She said: “The huge lift that the mayor has given us this last year has been fantastic – it’s been wonderful working with him.”
Cllr Chapman’s third charity, Destination Basingstoke, received £10,000 – an award that will be held in trust and distributed to charitable groups struggling for funds.
This amount was matched pound for pound under the Government’s Grassroots Fund, ensuring a significant boost to the Basingstoke Community Fund that Destination Basingstoke promotes.
Felicity Edwards, Destination Basingstoke’s managing director, said: “What was fantastic about the mayor getting involved is that every pound raised by his charity was turned into two.
“His involvement was a huge boost for us – this money will be invested into the community to help local charities.”
Cllr Chapman said he had no regrets about his second term as mayor in 33 years of public service.
“It was all really positive,” he said.
But he has no plans to take on the role in future, unlike the current deputy mayor.
Cllr Biermann said: “I know what the mayoralty does is appreciated by the public – I’ve seen it many times.
“I think it’s possibly easier for an independent candidate to do, as people have got to be even-handed and non-partisan.
“All mayors have tried but I’m not sure all have succeeded.”
In Basingstoke and Deane, the position of mayor is largely ceremonial and, therefore, distinct from directly-elected mayors, such as London’s Boris Johnson, who combines civic duties with council leadership.
The mayor of Basingstoke can trace its roots back to 1641, when George Baynard was first recorded taking up the position.
And, as first citizen of the borough, only the Royal Family or Hampshire’s Lord Lieutenant can claim more authority than a mayor when attending events.
