Introduction to the role of Mayor
Tel/Fax: 01494 421134 (office)
e-mail: Jenny_Howe@wycombe.gov.uk
Tel/Fax: 01494 812034 (Town Clerk)

The Mayor of High Wycombe is chosen each year at the Annual Meeting of the Charter Trustees. The Charter Trustees of the town of High Wycombe are councillors appointed to the Town Wards who have a ceremonial role as Charter Trustees in addition to their District Council responsibilities. Annually, one of the Charter Trustees is nominated by his/her peers to be Mayor of the town.

The office of Mayor is apolitical and the person represents the town at many civic and ceremonial events, both in the town and at other functions outside the town/district. The Mayor has a chain of office that may be worn to all events in High Wycombe. When visiting another town it is customary for the town mayor to ask whether or not the chain of office may be worn in that town. The robes of office are worn only on civic occasions when the Mace is carried by the Macebearer immediately before the Mayor, who then leads the Charter Trustees and the other dignitaries in procession.

The role of the Mayor at events is very important and examples of such activity include opening new establishments, and supporting local groups and organisations, which have requested his/her presence to add substance to the occasion.

The Mayoress has a chain of office that is worn on Mayoral engagements with the Mayor or when the Mayoress attends a function alone.

The deputy Mayor may sometimes attend engagements in place of the Mayor or in her own right as invitations to attend events invariably clash from time to time. The Deputy Mayor has a badge of office that is worn on engagements, as has the Deputy Consort.