New Bridgnorth mayor takes office

The new mayor of Bridgnorth has been sworn in at the town council’s first in-person meeting in over a year.

Councillor Sarah Barlow took the reins from outgoing mayor Kirstie Hurst-Knight at a socially-distanced meeting at the Castle Hall on Tuesday evening.

Putting on the chain of office for the first time, Councillor Barlow joked: “Somebody recently said to me, ‘the only reason you want to be mayor is because you like a chunky necklace’.”

Councillor Barlow had been Ms Hurst-Knight’s deputy for the past 12 months.

“Kirstie has been a very active, positive and able mayor in an extremely difficult year,” said Councillor Barlow.

“Kirstie has included me in everything and has done a fantastic job, and been a great role model for me to hopefully follow.”

Councillor Barlow thanked the 10 serving councillors who stood down at the local elections earlier this month, and welcomed the eight new members who were attending their first meeting.

She also paid tribute to her father, who she said had inspired her to want to get involved in the community.

She said: “I joined the council six years ago after being encouraged by our previous town clerk Anne Wilson and hoping to follow in my dad, the late Charles Billingham’s footsteps.

“My dad, as some of you will know, was involved greatly in the community. He spent a lot of time on the Round Table, with the Rotary Club, and being county fundraiser for Macmillan for many, many years.

“This brings me to the charities I would like to support.

“Firstly I would like to support Macmillan in memory of my dad.

“Then I would like to support a charity called Seaful. It’s a charity I have only recently heard about, and it encourages a link between promoting good mental health and looking after our waterways and our oceans.

“Although we don’t live by the sea, we do have a river which it would be great to keep clean.

“I would also like to support a couple of the smaller charities, such as Bridgnorth Bathing Project, in the future.”

Councillor Barlow grew up in Bridgnorth and has worked at Oldbury Wells School for 18 years, having previously worked at Bridgnorth Endowed School.

She said: “My elderly mother lives in the town and I have a teenage daughter as well as two grown up children, so I think this shows I am interested in all members of the community – the old, young and middle aged like myself.

“I can’t promise to change the world, but I will always be approachable and will try my best to represent the views of all the residents and members of the community with fairness and integrity.”

Councillor Karen Sawbridge was elected deputy mayor.