Broadstairs & St Peter’s Town Council has elected a new mayor.
Mike Garner is the first Green Party councillor to hold the position after being elected at the annual meeting on May 13.
Cllr Garner’s wife Carole Martin is the new Mayoress.
Cllr Garner said: “I couldn’t be prouder to have been elected to Chair the Town Council and to become Mayor of the town that Carole and I made our home nine years ago and the place we love to live.
“This is a great town and community that we’re all proud to be part of and I’m looking forward to the year ahead and to meeting and working with as many of our community as possible to make sure we keep it that way.”
On behalf of the Town Council, Cllr Garner extended his thanks to the outgoing Mayor, Cllr Kristian Bright and Mayoress Cllr Joanne Bright, for their hard work over the last year.
The couple will continue their work in the community since at the same meeting Cllr Joanne Bright was elected Deputy Chairman of the Town Council. Her consort will be Cllr Kristian Bright.
Cllr Garner was the first Green Party councillor elected to both the Town and District councils in 2019, representing the people in the ward of St Peter’s.
In 2020 he became leader of the Green Party at Thanet District Council. He is now pleased to be the first Green Party councillor to have been elected as a Mayor in Thanet but acknowledges that it is not a party-political role. Instead, he says he recognises it as an opportunity to work with all councillors, council officers, and residents to make the town a place to be proud to live in and one which visitors want to stay and come back to.
Cllr Garner said he wants to continue on the work of the previous year. He said: “We agreed a fantastic action plan last year to help do this around the three pillars of cleaner, safer and kinder and having made a really good start, I want to make sure we keep the momentum going.
“We all bring different skills and experiences to our roles as councillors and officers of the council, and I want to make sure we all get involved in progressing that plan.
“I’m also keen to build on the good working relationships we’ve made this year with the various community groups who do such great work around the town, some of whom are here this evening. Working together, with them and all who live here, is key to our success as a Town Council.”
Once the formalities of the Annual Meeting were completed, the Mayor presented the Mayoress Cup to representatives of the Town Team.
Cllr Garner said the cup was presented to an organisation or group who, in the opinion of the Town Council, has made a significant contribution to promoting Broadstairs and St Peter’s and the well-being of the local community.
The Mayor presented the Millennium Cup to Sue Elliot and Brian Sleightholm for their work with the St Peter’s Village Tour. The cup is awarded annually to a person or persons who, in the opinion of the Town Council, have made a significant contribution to promoting Broadstairs and St. Peter’s and the wellbeing of the local community.
A special Kent Association of Local Councils Community Award was presented to Peter Sutton in memory of his late wife Camille who worked for many years as the Town’s volunteer tree warden and the lead volunteer at Mocketts Wood.
The Town Council had been greatly saddened to hear of Camille’s passing and nominated Camille for this award which acknowledges and gives recognition to those that have made a significant contribution to their local community.
To contact the Mayor to attend events please email: [email protected]
