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An Interview with the Mayor

Many people are unaware as to what a Mayor does or how to address a Mayor. The current Mayor of Sandwell, Councillor Martin Prestidge, is a refreshing change from what you might expect. A Mayor is a Borough's "First Citizen" and a different member of the Council is elected to this office each year. The full title for our Mayor is "The Worshipful the Mayor of Sandwell". Titles aside, the Mayor does have a real job to do and should be approachable and a good communicator.

So what does a Mayor do?

The Mayor is the Ambassador of his or her Borough and liaises between organisations and bodies which will include voluntary organisations, commercial, council and worthy charities. The Mayor will promote the Borough at every opportunity. The Mayor is available to attend functions or community activities. The role involves the promoting of public involvement in the Council activities and can be regarded as the "conscience" of the Council. The Mayor will attend as many civic and ceremonial functions as possible and has a Deputy Mayor on hand to take his or her place when the need arises.

Meet the Mayor of Sandwell - Councillor Martin Prestidge

Councillor Martin Prestidge became Sandwell's Mayor on 20th May 2003. He has lived in Oldbury for most of his life and knows and understands local issues. He took early retirement from BT plc in 1996. His hobbies include Amateur Radio, ( he is currently chair of the Sandwell Amateur Radio Club ) walking, gardening and reading. Councillor Prestidge is helping to raise funds for his charities Diabetes UK ( Sandwell Branch ) and Bradbury Day Care Centre in Oldbury which provides daycare for the terminally ill.

We were fortunate enough to be able to interview our local Mayor and find out what makes him tick. Just what does our local Mayor get up to and how does he view the role of Mayor and the service that he provides for the benefit of the community. Here are some of the questions and answers from the interview.

Question: How did you become the Mayor of Sandwell?

Answer: A new Mayor is elected every year and the choice of Mayor is based on seniority. In Sandwell tradition normally dictates that that the Mayor in addition to being the most senior member of the council, is also responsible for appointing the Deputy Mayor and if the Mayor represents the South of the Borough, it is normally someone from the North of the Borough that is chosen and vice versa. This procedure is a fair way to best reflect the geographic location of the Borough and its make up. This has been part of our tradition since 1st May 1974 when the reorganisation of local government created the Metropolitan Borough of Sandwell.

Question: What unique qualities should an effective Mayor have?

Answer: To be a good Mayor you should be approachable. It is also important to be an effective chairman. Good communication skills are also very important and the ability to deal with and communicate with people from all walks of life. You need to be a people person.

Question: Is this a 9 to 5 job?

Answer: My day varies considerably. It's not a 9 to 5 job. I have the responsibility of being a public representative and liaise with local organisations. My attendance at local events is important. I am also a busy councillor.

Question: What do you find takes up most of your time? Answer: Attending conferences, events and initiatives with organisations such as the Department of Employment etc. Many are business orientated but there are charities, school visits and the needs of the community to consider. I act as liaison between business, charities and the public and the council. I put the relevant people in touch with each other. Question: Do you have many important visitors? Answer: Everyone is important but I have received a minister from the Punjab and the Duke of Edinburgh.

Question: Many people are unaware of what being a Mayor is all about. People understand that it involves some civic duties but what part does tradition play in the day to day role of a Mayor?

Answer: Sandwell Council has its own cabinet of decision makers within the council but that doesn't stop me from airing my own point of view. The Mayor's role is a ceremonial role but also involves assisting people with advice on local issues.

I respect tradition but I don't like to see the pomp and ritual that is associated with being a Mayor get in the way of the real issues that affect the local community and its people. First and foremost a Mayor needs to be approachable and in many cases informal. I am often busy chasing schedules and have sometimes been accused of spending too long talking to too many people but surely this is what makes the role all the more interesting and helps build a better understanding of peoples wants and needs from a wide variety of sources.

Question: What does being a Mayor mean to you personally?

Answer: I get satisfaction out of promoting Sandwell. I like to think that I do a good job and that what I do actually makes a difference.

Question: What is so special about Sandwell? Answer: Sandwell is unique. Just take a look at our history and tradition. Sandwell is making progress all the time and my biggest regret is that Sandwell has had to struggle with constantly being overshadowed by Birmingham. I do my best to change this and to put Sandwell on the map. I am always promoting our Borough.

Question: What single most significant change would you like to see that would make the Mayor's role more understood?

Answer: I would like to de mystify the role of Mayor. People have pre conceived ideas about the Mayor's role and that of local government. I would like to de mystify local government too. This is why the Big House is open for schools. School visits help us to provide a clearer understanding of how things work and also to involve youngsters in their community. We also hold a number of fund raising events at the Big House. It's all about involving people.

Question: How do you think other people see you and view the Mayor's role?

Answer: What you see is what you get!.

[ Interview Ends ]

Summary

During the length of the interview it became obvious that a Mayor has a wide range of duties to perform. What came across very strongly was that our current Mayor is obviously very dedicated to promoting Sandwell. The Mayor's office is situated in the Big House and the Mayor encourages visits by appointment. He is often to be seen personally escorting visitors around the building and takes an active involvement in the community.

Councillor Martin Prestidge is always pleased to hear from companies or individuals who feel that they can lend some support to The Bradbury Centre and Diabetes UK ( Sandwell Branch ) which are his Mayoral charities for his term of office.