Town Council elects a new Mayor of Coleshill

Coleshill Town Council held its Annual Council Meeting on 22 May. Some people describe the annual event as the “Mayor Making” as the civic chain and the responsibility to speak for the Town Council passed from Cllr. Tony Battle, who had performed the role for two years. The new mayor is Cllr. Adam Richardson.

Adam was first elected in 2015 and then re-elected on 2nd May this year, actually being “first past the post” of all candidates in North Coleshill. On this he says “Although I was elected as a Labour Party candidate, I think the town Council needs to operate in a non-Party political way. I will look forward to working with all those elected in May as we have a good mix of members, both new and experienced”.

Cllr. Richardson is 36 years of age but has lived in Coleshill since the age of five. His most recent work is running JVP Media in freelance media production, specialising in video editing. He has strong connections with the town as his great grandfather worked at Taylor’s Bakery in the High Street, opening and locking up and making pastries. His grandmother used to work for Lord Dugdale.

Since October 2018, Jak’s Tea Rooms has been in operation where Adam is one of the volunteers running the tea and cake sessions on the last Sunday of every month, for the community. Cllr. Richardson came up with the idea of an awards presentation for the town’s volunteers and this became the Coleshill Star Awards, run in 2016 and 2018.

The 2019/20 Mayor of Coleshill has plenty of ideas for the year. He adds “It will be an exciting but busy year for the Council as we plan out the cemetery extension, the movement of the Community Hub downstairs and the internal improvements in that building and also at the Community Centre.”

Adam has a theme for the year of “Renewal”. He adds that “for me it’s about how we’ve come into this new season with both returning & brand new councillors. It is our first year of another 4 year cycle, best described as continuing in a new way, with the good work the previous Council did as well as the new efforts this Council will do”.

Charity causes are the Coventry & Warks. Air Ambulance Service as a regional cause and the Coleshill & Water Orton Memory Cafe as a local one. Fund raising events are likely to repeat the Ale Tasting this September and the Coleshill Local Arts Week (CLAW) in March 2020, since Cllr. Richardson was involved in the previous year’s events as Deputy Mayor. He hopes to include a Charity Band concert led by the Coleshill Town Band and a Musical Night during the year of office. Adam describes himself on Twitter as “little bit of a singer, little bit of a writer, little bit of a Town Councillor”, so it may well be an entertaining year!!

Colin Greatorex

Town Clerk