L-R: Sheriff’s Escort Mr Bryan Dion, Deputy Mayoress Mrs Brenda Adams, Mayoress Johann Stribley, Mayor Cllr Ann Stribley, Deputy Mayor Cllr Peter Adams, Sheriff Cllr Xena Dion.
Councillor Ann Stribley has been elected as Poole’s 767th Mayor at this year’s Mayor Making Ceremony.
The traditional ceremony, one of the highlights of Poole’s civic calendar, also saw Councillor Xena Dion elected as Sheriff and last year’s Mayor Councillor Peter Adams appointed Deputy Mayor.
The new Mayor of Poole has chosen to support two projects for her mayoral year; Poole’s RNLI Lifeboat Station and a patient enhancement project at Poole Hospital, details of which are being finalised.
Cllr Stribley’s duties as Mayor include chairing all meetings of the Full Council, overseeing citizenship ceremonies for people becoming British citizens in Poole, and representing residents as their ambassador at the many functions she will attend in her mayoral year.
She said: “I am delighted and privileged to have been elected by my fellow Councillors to be the 767th Mayor of Poole. I will, to the best of my ability, uphold the traditions and dignity of this great office. I look forward to meeting the many organisations and individuals who make Poole such a wonderful place, and to seeing the changes that have taken place since I first served as Mayor.”
Cllr Stribley was first elected to the Council in 1977, making her the longest-serving councillor in Poole with over 38 years representing residents of the Parkstone ward. She has served on all major committees of the Council, and was awarded the MBE in the 2012 Queen’s Birthday Honours for services to the Borough of Poole. She first served Poole as Mayor in 1990, and makes history by being only the second female Councillor to serve a second term as Mayor.
Cllr Stribley’s daughter Johann will serve as Mayoress for the coming year, following in the footsteps of her sister Sarah who took the position back in 1990.
The newly-appointed Sheriff of Poole, Cllr Xena Dion, will support the Mayor with her civic duties and responsibilities. She has served as a councillor for the Penn Hill ward since 2003. Poole is one of just 15 local authorities in the country to appoint a Sheriff.
