Leslie Smetham elected Mayor for Cheshire East

Councillor Lesley Smetham has become the new mayor of the borough.

Elected to the shadow authority in 2008, Councillor Smetham, from Gawsworth, has been deputy mayor to Councillor Arthur Moran for the past civic year.

She has taken the chain of office at an official ceremony in the Tenants’ Hall, at Tatton Park, prior to today’s full council meeting.

Cllr Smetham continues to serve on Gawsworth Parish Council, is on the board of the Macclesfield Silk Heritage Trust and is a member of the executive committee for the Cheshire Association of Local Councils.

During her service with Cheshire East, Cllr Smetham has served on several council committees, including strategic planning, health and adult social care scrutiny, corporate scrutiny, licensing and corporate parenting.

Councillor Smetham said: “I am looking forward to working with you all in a non-partisan spirit of co-operation and mutual respect, as we focus at full council on opportunities for making the best decisions possible for our residents within the constraints of the tough times that we are undoubtedly facing.

“In spite of much that is said and written in the media, there is a lot of good news to share about our council.  Cheshire East is special for us and council has achieved much, not only since its inception in 2009 but especially during the past year or two.

“At the end of 2017, we heard that we achieved our highest number of awards ever.  I hope that together we can build on that excellent provision for our residents and also develop our resilience to cope with whatever challenges we might face during the next year.”

As mayor of the borough, Cllr  Smetham will step down from her political roles, including as director of Orbitas, the council’s wholly-owned company delivering burial, cremation and bereavement services.

She has chosen two charities for her year of office – Carers Trust4all, formerly known as Crossroads, and Friends for Leisure, a young people’s charity which works across Cheshire East to give young people in special schools that are some distance from home, the chance to meet with other young people in their neighbourhood through organised activities.

Cllr Smetham’s husband David will act as her consort.

Cllr Liz Durham, currently deputy portfolio holder for finance and communities, was elected deputy mayor. The member for Broken Cross and Upton, Macclesfield, joined the council on her election in May 2015.