Lincoln bids for Lord Mayor status as Boston city bid competes against 38 others

Lincoln’s council has bid for the city to have a Lord Mayor bestowed upon it, the Cabinet Office has revealed.

The announcement, on Twitter, also showed that Boston will be competing against 38 other places in its bid to get City Status as part of Queen Elizabeth II’s 2022 Platinum Jubilee celebrations.

The title of Lord Mayor continues to have no extra powers, however, elevates the status of the role to be an honour appointed by the monarch.

As part of the bid, Lincoln will be competing against 11 others:

• Bath, Somerset
• Derby, Derbyshire
• Gloucester, Gloucestershire
• Inverness, Inverness
• Lancaster, Lancashire
• Newport, Gwent
• Perth, Perth and Kinross
• Southampton, Hampshire
• Sunderland, Tyne and Wear
• Wolverhampton, West Midlands
• Worcester, Worcestershire

Richard Storey, the Mayor’s Officer at City of Lincoln Council, told Local Democracy Reporter Daniel Jaines that it would “be a recognition of the heritage of the city” if the bid was successful.

He said Lincoln’s mayor was the oldest one on the list of applicants, with the first mention of someone holding the role in 1206 – though probably with someone doing the job from around 1194 under a different title.

“It’s the age of Lincoln and its importance throughout English history really.

“Lincoln is the one with the richest history really and it continues that heritage that the Mayor of Lincoln is part of Lincolnshire history.

“l know some people don’t see it that way, but the office of mayor is as relevant to Lincoln’s heritage as the Castle and Cathedral are, in some ways more relevant because the city has been shaped by the mayor since the role came into being really as a separate jurisdiction.

“It just cements our our story, and it adds to that and it’s an acknowledgement by the monarch to Lincoln’s importance as a historical city.”

Boston’s bid for city status was submitted earlier this month.

When the bid was submitted, it was supported by local groups and businesses.

https://twitter.com/cabinetofficeuk/status/1473946650578235396?s=20

Councillor Richard Austin, Portfolio Holder for Heritage, said: “I am delighted that we have taken this rare opportunity to bid for City Status.

“It will be a great honour if we are the one selected.”

Announcing the list this morning, Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster Steve Barclay said: “Today’s announcement is a celebration of the rich and diverse communities which make up not only the United Kingdom, but also our friends further afield in the Falklands, Gibraltar and the Cayman Islands.

“It’s fitting that, as we look towards celebrating the 70 year reign of Her Majesty the Queen, we extend the competition to include those parts of the world which also hold her so dearly.

“City status is not only about local pride, it can deliver real levelling up benefits for businesses and the local area which is clear from the high number of applications. A sincere best of luck to all those who have applied.”

The full list of applicants is:

• Alcester, Warwickshire
• Ballymena, County Antrim
• Bangor, County Down
• Blackburn, Lancashire
• Bolsover, Derbyshire
• Boston, Lincolnshire
• Bournemouth, Dorset
• Coleraine, County Londonderry
• Colchester, Essex
• Crawley, West Sussex
• Crewe, Cheshire
• Doncaster, South Yorkshire
• Dorchester, Dorset
• Douglas, Isle of Man
• Dudley, West Midlands
• Dumfries, Dumfries and Galloway
• Dunfermline, Fife
• Elgin, Moray
• George Town, Cayman Islands
• Gibraltar, Gibraltar
• Goole, East Yorkshire
• Greenock, Renfrewshire
• Guildford, Surrey
• Livingston, West Lothian
• Marazion, Cornwall
• Medway, Kent
• Middlesbrough, North Yorkshire
• Milton Keynes, Buckinghamshire
• Newport and Carisbrooke, Isle of Wight
• Northampton, Northamptonshire
• Oban, Argyll and Bute
• Reading, Berkshire
• Peel, Isle of Man
• St Andrews, Fife
• Stanley, Falkland Islands
• South Ayrshire, Ayrshire and Arran
• Warrington, Cheshire
• Warwick, Warwickshire
• Wrexham, Clwyd