City of York Council’s Annual Council and Mayor-Making meeting has marked the appointment of a new Lord Mayor of York.
Councillor Martin Rowley BEM has been officially appointed as the Right Honourable the Lord Mayor of York.
Councillor Rowley BEM is the newest holder of the highly prestigious and historic office, which is second only to the Lord Mayor of London in precedence, and dates back to at least 1217. The office was upgraded to Lord Mayor in 1389 by Richard II.
Those attending the annual meeting today first welcomed the new Civic Party, before allocating seats and appointments to the council and other outside bodies.
Councillor Rowley BEM takes over the role of Lord Mayor from Councillor Margaret Wells.
Paul Doughty joins the incoming Civic Party as the Sheriff of York, taking over from Fiona Fitzpatrick.
Cllr Claire Douglas, Leader of City of York Council, said:
As always, it’s a pleasure to be part of this ancient tradition where we formally welcome our new Lord Mayor and Civic Party for the coming year.
“I’d like to thank Cllr Wells and the outgoing Civic Party for their outstanding work and wish Cllr Rowley and the incoming Civic Party the very best as they represent our city, raise funds and awareness for important causes and engage with communities across York.”
Cllr Martin Rowley BEM, Lord Mayor of York, said:
It is an honour and a privilege to have been chosen as the next Lord Mayor of York, and I’d like to take this opportunity to thank Cllr Margaret Wells for all her hard work and dedication during her tenure as Lord Mayor.
“Alongside my colleagues in the new Civic Party, I’m looking forward to stepping into this historic position and acting as an ambassador for this great city during what will certainly be a busy and exciting year for York.”
The Civic Party for 2025 / 2026 is:
- The Rt Hon the Lord Mayor of York, Councillor Martin Rowley BEM
- Lady Mayoress Elizabeth Rowley
- Sheriff of York, Paul Doughty
- Sheriff’s Consort, David Smith
The Lord Mayor's fundraising committee will be organising around the city during the civic year to raise money to support charities chosen by the Civic Party, and will be supported in that by the Two Ridings Community Foundation, which makes grants and give support to hundreds of community organisations which provide crucial services and life changing activities for local people across North and East Yorkshire.