Broadcasting, the military and the chains of office
Royal Borough: New mayor Cllr Neil Knowles has a wealth of life experience
A military veteran and independent councillor has been selected as Windsor and Maidenhead’s first citizen.
Cllr Neil Knowles has been elected as Mayor of the Royal Borough for the 2023/24 civic year, with Cllr Simon Bond (Lib Dem, Belmont) as Deputy Mayor.
Cllr Knowles, who was reelected in Old Windsor for Old Windsor Residents’ Association earlier this month, took on the ceremonial, non-political role on Tuesday following a vote at the annual council meeting in Windsor.
He received the robes and chain from former Cllr Christine Bateson, who has served as Mayor since May 2022.
His responsibilities as first citizen of the borough will include chairing full council meetings and representing the Royal Borough, and its people, at functions both inside and outside of the area, accompanied by his wife Teresa as the Mayoress.
Cllr Knowles said: “As a councillor who was brought up in Windsor, I am very proud to become the Mayor of the Royal Borough and I look forward to meeting people, organisations, and community groups throughout the next year.”
Cllr Knowles is from Newcastle-Under-Lyme, he moved with his military family to Windsor at an early age before being posted around Europe and Asia.
The family returned to Windsor, where he attended the then Dedworth Green Secondary School.
He joined the army and The Life Guards straight from school and served in Windsor, Cyprus, Germany, and
Canada before returning to Windsor.
He became an army helicopter pilot in the Army Air Corps, serving in hostile environments around the world before retiring from regular service, although he continued to serve in the reserves retiring as a squadron leader.
A new career as a radio and TV presenter and producer for the BBC and commercial radio beckoned before joining the British Forces Broadcasting Service.
He eventually moved into project management, administration, and financial management in the education sector. He and Teresa have a son, Sam, and a grandson, Max.
A ward councillor for Old Windsor since May 2019, Cllr Knowles has also run
Windsor Air Cadets for some years, is a school governor at St Peter’s CofE Middle School, and is a trustee of Old Windsor almshouses.
A strong advocate for veterans, he resurrected the Windsor and District Royal British Legion Branch and established the local Armed Forces Veterans breakfast club.
He keeps military links by being a member of the Flemish Farm-based Light Cavalry, the Honourable Artillery Company, and is a member of the Historic Army Aircraft flight.
Cllr Simon Bond is the new Deputy Mayor, and his consort is David Armitage.
They take over from the outgoing Deputy Mayor Gary Muir, who has been in the role for four years, along with the deputy Mayoress Caron Muir.
The outgoing Mayor Christine Bateson, whose consort was her son Richard, is also retiring from 28 years’ service as a borough councillor.
■ Pick up a copy of next week’s Advertiser for an interview with Cllr Bateson reflecting on her time as Mayor.