New Mayor, Deputy Mayor and Honorary Freemen take Oaths of Office

Dover Town Hall was packed with local people and visitors to welcome the new Mayor, Councillor Sue Jones and new Deputy Mayor, Councillor Ian Palmer to officially assume their roles for the forthcoming year.

The loudest applause however was for the Town’s 4 new Honorary Freeman who took their oaths and received their sashes and certificates during the meeting. The award of Honorary Freeman is the highest mark of distinction the Town Council can give and is for exceptional service to the Town and its community. Reverend Michael Hinton, Mr Pat Sherratt, Mrs Adeline Reidy, and Mr Jim Gleeson have all, in different ways, given unstintingly over many decades to make Dover a better place to live and work. Councillor Sue Jones led the congratulations with an especially warm acknowledgement to Mrs Reidy as the first woman to receive the award from the Town Council in the centenary year of women being given the right to vote in 1918.

Able Cadet Kyla Goldsmith of ATC 354 Squadron was appointed Mayor’s Cadet and Rev. Dr John Walker was appointed as Honorary Chaplain.

Councillor Jones, who brings experience of being Mayor twice before in 2009/10 και 2010/11, formally welcomed Councillor Palmer who will share the Mayoral duties of office and set out her priorities for the year ahead.