Mayor of Swindon
The Mayor of Swindon is Councillor Abdul Amin.
Further reading about the Mayor: Councillor Abdul Amin's biography
Ward represented
Walcot and Park North.
Responsibilities
The Mayor is the civic head of the council, its representative and its Sovereign's representative, appointed over a single year.
The Mayor takes the leading role in all civic ceremonial and ceremonial duties and who, at major civic functions, welcomes important visitors, local organisations and inaugurates special events.
The Mayor also chairs full council meetings.
The Deputy Mayor, Councillor Barbara Parry, may stand in if the Mayor is not available.
Inviting the Mayor to your event
Please note: The Mayor's attendance at your event is not confirmed until approved by the Mayor's Office. Please read the protocol before submitting your form online.
A minimum of 3 weeks’ notice is required in order to successfully register your request.
Protocol
These guidelines must be observed at events which the Mayor attends in an official capacity. Where an organisation does not adhere to this procedure, the Mayor is unable to accept an invitation.
Functions that the Mayor attends in a personal or private capacity will be without the regalia of office, and therefore treated as any other individual.
Etiquette
The Mayor is the First Citizen of Swindon and takes precedence over others, with the exception of royalty and Her Majesty's representatives, such as the Lord Lieutenant of Wiltshire, who take precedence.
The Mayor will wear the Chain and Badge of Office, whilst undertaking formal engagements. For some functions the Badge of Office will be worn on a ribbon instead.
Receiving the Mayor at events
The event organiser, or their representative, should meet the Mayor and Mayoress on arrival to greet them appropriately.
The Mayor will normally be accompanied by an attendant or chauffeur and where possible, the provision of seating and refreshments would be appreciated.
How to address the Mayor
The Mayor of Swindon is known by the title "The Worshipful the Mayor".
Male Mayors are addressed directly as "Mr Mayor" and females as "Madam Mayor". In a speech the Mayor would be addressed as Mr Mayor or Madam Mayor.
If desired, the name, preceded by "Councillor", should follow the office for example, The Worshipful the Mayor of Swindon, Councillor Abdul Amin.
Seating
The Mayor, as senior guest, should always be seated on the immediate right of the host at meetings and also at social events such as lunches or dinners. The Mayoress or Consort should be seated next to the Mayor.
Publicity
Photographs of civic representatives, including the Mayor, are not to be used for any promotional purposes.
If preparing a press release, approval before the date of issue is required by the Mayor or Mayor’s office. You are responsible for any other publicity or press communications.
Deputy Mayor
The above procedures apply for the Deputy Mayor when attending as the Mayor's representative.
Charities
The Mayor is spending his term in office supporting two charities:
STEP (Swindon)
STEP is a registered Charitable Incorporated Organisation, established in 1984 to provide therapeutic support to children and young people across Swindon.
It delivers tailor-made therapeutic group sessions, enabling children to work through issues that are negatively affecting their lives and the lives of those around them, providing support and life skills development and learning opportunities.
It works with each of the children and young people referred to set achievable developmental targets. These are based on their unmet needs at point of referral, and ensuring that they are continuously working towards meeting those targets during their time with us helping them to progress; socially, emotionally, and behaviourally, helping to improve relationships at home, within school and in a wider context.
For further information, visit STEP Swindon website.
Zam Zam Charitable Trust
Zam Zam Charitable Trust has been helping people in extreme poverty in Bangladesh for over 15 years.
They have helped thousands of people, including those with serious medical illnesses, widows, those who are unemployed, homeless people and provided free education to orphans and underprivileged children.
Their mission is to inspire others to support them in alleviating the suffering of those in need, empowering those less fortunate by providing them with opportunities to grow and become self-sufficient.
Everything they do is driven by their passion to help those who are less fortunate, improve the lives of those that are needy and help protect and save lives. Their work is performed in an honest and transparent manner, driven by a genuine desire to help humanity.
For further information, visit the Zam Zam Charitable Trust webpage.
Contacting the Mayor's office and further information
If you wish to contact the Mayor's office, email: mayor@swindon.gov.uk or telephone 07980 752046.
You might also find the following downloadable document helpful:
- The Office of Mayor (PDF)