Mayor role profile

Purpose

The purpose of the Mayor is to:

  • carry out the roles and functions of the First Citizen of the Borough of Bracknell Forest, representing the borough at civic and ceremonial events with the full dignity commensurate with the position and tradition of the office of the Mayor
  • preside over meetings of the council, and to uphold and promote the purposes of the Constitution, and to interpret the Constitution when necessary

Key roles and responsibilities

The key roles and responsibilities of the Mayor are to:

  • represent the whole community served by the council, and act as a ‘symbol’ or figurehead of the authority on appropriate occasions
  • act as a focus for community cohesion
  • act as host on behalf of the council and/or citizens of the borough at functions arranged by the council such as Citizenship Ceremonies
  • attend important functions as a representative of the borough and/or the council
  • perform official openings or presentations throughout the borough
  • promote wherever possible the diplomatic, business, commercial, community and education life of the borough
  • uphold the office of the Mayor
  • refrain from actively promoting any political party
  • sign properly and appropriately authorised documents for sealing on behalf of the council
  • chair meetings of the council fairly and impartially so that its business is carried out efficiently and with regard to the rights of councillors and the interest of the community
  • liaise with officers on the content of the council agenda
  • understand the Mayor’s role in the constitutional arrangements relating to the waiving of call-in when decisions are urgent and the taking of decisions on the grounds of urgency if they are not on the forward plan or are outside the budget and policy framework
  • encourage the highest standards of behaviour and probity

Key skills and knowledge

The key skills and knowledge required of the Mayor are:

  • advanced ‘ambassadorial’ skills, to be able to represent the council in a variety of settings, taking an interest in the people and organisations visited
  • advanced chairing skills
  • advanced presentation and public speaking skills
  • good media skills
  • the ability to build effective relationships within and outside the council
  • high standard of communication skills
  • a detailed knowledge of the Mayor’s role in the constitutional arrangements relating to the taking of urgent decisions and the waiving of call-in

Contact information

Democratic Services