Lord Mayor duties

The Lord Mayor is the First Citizen of the city during the term of office, presides at meetings of the City Council and supports local organisations and businesses by launching, attending and hosting functions on behalf of the City Council. If you would like the Lord Mayor to attend an event you are organising, please contact the Lord Mayor's secretary at the contact details on this page.

Although during the year in office, the Lord Mayor traditionally takes no active part in the political affairs of the City Council, he does Chair meetings of the full Council which take place on an eight weekly cycle. In the absence of the Lord Mayor, the Deputy Lord Mayor presides at the City Council. The person presiding may have a second or casting vote in the event of an equality of votes, even if they did not vote in the first instance.

The Lord Mayor also undertakes all Civic Ceremonial duties on behalf of the city, including attendance at Civic Services, Remembrance Day, Royal Visits, etc. In Plymouth, the main annual Ceremonial Events are the Election of Lord Mayor, which includes the Annual Meeting of the Council, Civic Dinner, Lord Mayor's Day and Civic Church Service; the Fishing Feast at Burrator Reservoir, which is the commemoration of Sir Francis Drake who, during his recordership from 1669 to 1717 brought a fresh water supply to the city (now held at the invitation of South West Water plc); Remembrance Day on Plymouth Hoe; and the Lord Mayor's Carol Service at St Andrew's Church.

The Lord Mayor's Charity

The Lord Mayor has control of a Charity Fund which is distributed to local organisations at Christmas each year and in May at the end of each Lord Mayoral Year. It is also the practice for the Lord Mayor to nominate a specific Charity to receive funds generated during their year in office.

Further details of the Lord Mayor's Charities are available from the Lord Mayor's Secretary at the Lord Mayors Parlour.