Kentish Gazette Canterbury & District
Council elects new Lord Mayor
‘I will be looking at getting help to promote Canterbury as one the greatest cities in the world’
Lady Mayoress Jenny Yonge and Lord Mayor Cllr Rosemary Doyle with Sheriff of Canterbury Cllr Colin Spooner and his escort Julie Spooner The new Lord Mayor of Canterbury has been unveiled on a night of pomp and ceremony.
Chartham and Stone Street councillor Rosemary Doyle was formally elected at Canterbury City Council’s annual meeting in the Guildhall last Wednesday.
She has spent the past year serving as Sheriff of Canterbury under outgoing Lord Mayor Cllr George Metcalfe.
Cllr Doyle, a member since 1999, said: “I have enjoyed a remarkable year as sheriff and it is an honour to be elected Lord Mayor of Canterbury.
“I will be looking at getting help from everyone here to promote Canterbury as one the greatest cities in the country and one of the greatest cities in the world.”
Cllr Doyle’s consort will be Jenny Yonge, who served as her escort while she was sheriff. They will raise money for homeless charity Porchlight and the Pilgrims Hospice.
For Cllr Metcalfe the meeting was his last in the chairman’s seat. He told councillors and assorted dignitaries, including former mayors Peter Wales and David Pentin and former council leader John Gilbey, that he and his wife Lillian had enjoyed their time in office.
“We’ve had enormous fun,” he said. “It started well with the Pride march a year ago in which we were at the head of a procession of two or three thousand people. The parade showed that we have lots of different types of people with lots of different thoughts. Lillian and I even had to learn morris dancing.
“I would particularly like to thank the Dean and Chapter at Canterbury for their many kindnesses. We have been able to forge close links.”
Cllr Doyle’s sheriff will be former policeman Colin Spooner, a Seasalter Conservative councillor. Cllr Spooner’s wife and mother of his three daughters, Julie, will be his escort.