Ronald Alan Neal - new Mayor of Whitworth

Councillor Alan Neal and Mrs Janet Neal, Mayor and Mayoress Whitworth

Councillor Ronald Alan Neal was elected by Town Council members as Mayor of Whitworth at a meeting of Whitworth Town Council on Thursday 25 May.

 The meeting was attended by family and friends of Councillor Neal, and visiting dignitaries.

Councillor Neal is going to be accompanied by the Mayoress Mrs Janet Neal.

The Mayor and Mayoress will attend functions and events within Whitworth and outside of the town’s boundary, and the Mayor will chair Full Council meetings of the Town Council.

Councillor Neal made a speech during the meeting, describing the role as an honour and thanking his family and friends for their support.

The Mayor confirmed that he was very much looking forward to the year ahead and would be raising funds for some wonderful local groups and charities who do so much to make Whitworth the wonderful place it is.

The Mayor offered thanks to his fellow councillors and to the Town Clerk, and to Rev Lyn Woodall for agreeing to act as Mayoral Chaplain.

The Mayor and Mayoress have several charity events already planned, amongst which are Kids Boogie Bounce Party on 31 August, Adult Zumba Party in the dark on 7 October, Charity Fundraiser 60s theme on 21 October and the Civic Dinner on 7 April 2018.  

The Mayor and Mayoress have been married for 42 years and have two daughters and three grandchildren who live in the area. This year also marks Mayor Neal’s 30th year as a Whitworth Town councillor.

Also at the meeting, Councillor De Souza was elected as Deputy Mayor; her role will be to deputise for the Mayor before taking on the chains herself in 2018, and Councillor De Souza will also chair the Council’s General Purposes Committee meetings.

The outgoing Mayor, Councillor Madeline De Souza, gave a short speech in which she thanked all in Whitworth for their support, and announced that she had raised £3,100 through the Mayoral fund, and issued donations to 27 separate organisations in Whitworth and a donation to Action for Pulmonary Fibrosis in memory of her late husband Mike.