Cllr Barry Panter – New Mayor for Newcastle-under-Lyme

The new Mayor of Newcastle-under-Lyme has been announced.  Cllr. Barry Panter is taking on the historic role for the forthcoming year, supported by his wife Beatrice, who is Mayoress.  The Loggerheads councillor was invested with the chains of office at Wednesday night’s Annual Council meeting as several family members looked on.  The new Deputy Mayor is Cllr. Robert Bettley-Smith.

The Mayor’s chosen charities are Headway North Staffs – which provides rehabilitation and support services to adults with a brain injury – and the Salvation Army in Chesterton. The music fan, who enjoys listening to Fleetwood Mac, The Rolling Stones and The Who, already has a couple of music-based fundraising events in the pipeline including a Northern Soul night in Knutton on 13 July.

Cllr. Panter collects model police cars and is an ardent bibliophile: Charles Dickens being a particular favourite.

The father of two, who was born in Bedfordshire, said: “I’m really pleased, and a little nervous, to be the new Mayor of Newcastle-under-Lyme. The reality of it didn’t hit me until last night. Everyone has their own way of doing things; I’ve got my own ideas – and I’ve definitely learned a lot during my time as Deputy Mayor – but it’s been great to have the support of the outgoing Mayor who has been a good tutor and provided me with lots of useful advice. I’ll look, listen and learn.

“I’m looking forward to getting out and about, meeting lots of different people; promoting the borough and Mayoralty to the best of my abilities and raising lots of money for my charities who do a lot of valuable work in the community.”