by Sam Hawcroft
Calls have been made for Withernsea’s mayor to remain in office for a second year rather than step down next May under the town council’s current system.
Dave Penson, a local businessman and lifelong Withernsea resident, has asked councillors to make an exception to the council’s practice of changing its mayor annually and allow Cllr Kristina Richardson to continue in the role beyond May 2027.
He put the proposal to councillors during the public participation session at Withernsea Town Council’s meeting on Monday, September 14, prompting a lengthy and at times heated debate.
No decision on extending the mayor’s term was taken, but Cllr Richardson said the issue would be placed on a future agenda, potentially in October, for formal discussion.
Following the meeting, Mr Penson announced plans for a petition supporting a second year for the mayor and calling on councillors who oppose the proposal to resign.
He also said he intended to establish a “protest party”, with a launch planned on Facebook on Sunday, September 20, at 2pm.
Mr Penson told the meeting that he had contacted the council about five or six weeks earlier asking for the proposal to be included on the agenda, but had been informed that it would be scheduled for a future meeting because the town clerk would not be present.
He described the response as unacceptable and read out his suggested motion, which asked the council to note that Cllr Richardson had “demonstrated exceptional commitment” since becoming mayor in May. The motion said she had actively championed community engagement, supported local events and initiatives and promoted the town’s achievements.
Mr Penson said: “I’m asking you, please will you consider this? I have spoken to individual councillors and I know people support this.”
Ward councillor Jon Dimberline backed the principle of allowing mayors to serve for longer, saying one year was not enough to establish and develop projects.
He said: “I think it’s something the council should look at.
“I’ve got no doubt whatsoever that [deputy mayor] Cllr Sharon Carman has got some good things to bring to the table. Nobody’s trying to put the block on the next councillor coming in.
“I just think that one year is not enough for a councillor. When we see what Cllr Richardson is doing in the area, I think at least two years, maybe three, is better to give them that time to get things on the table.”
Cllr Richardson said members of the public could ask for matters to be considered, although a formal motion would have to be proposed by a councillor.
She said: “From my point of view, I’m very flattered that people acknowledge the work that’s going on, and that doesn’t discredit all the previous and future mayors. I think everybody pours their heart and soul into doing the best for the community.
“I personally feel 12 months is not a long time when you hit the ground running, but what I would kindly ask is that we do put it on a future agenda to at least have a discussion for transparency.”
Cllr Felicity Walmsley said the current system had been introduced after a period when the council had been “in uproar”, with comings and goings and “petty behaviour”.
She said: “Quite frankly, some of the mayors were trying to cling on when they weren’t very good mayors.
“When I became mayor, I asked if we could change it to fit in with the rest of our area and most of the country.
“We have a system where you vote for a mayor and then, once they’re established, you vote for their deputy. The deputy will do a year with the mayor and step up.
“That way, everybody gets a fair chance to have their turn as mayor. It also means that the people waiting in the wings, who will also be exceptional mayors, get to be mayor.
“At this point in time, this council is running very well and I do not see any reason to rock the boat.”
Mr Penson said the honours boards in the council chamber showed that, decades ago, mayors who were performing well had traditionally been allowed to remain in office.
He added: “I’m asking for it to go back to what the history is on that board – that performing mayors can continue to perform.”
Cllr Ian Blackburn also defended the annual rotation, saying it had been introduced after difficulties within the council about five years ago.
He said every mayor was different and all councillors should have an equal opportunity to take on the role.
Cllr Blackburn said: “Kristina’s doing a great job. Alex [Camplin] did a great job, Felicity did a great job and Sharon will do a great job.
“But if we keep holding on for one, two, three or four years, we’ll never know, and that’s the problem. That’s why we changed it.
“We can’t have one person saying, ‘I’d like to do another year because I’ve got things to do.’ We’ve got other people who could do just as good a job.”
He said he would not support returning to longer terms, adding: “We had it at two years. It doesn’t work.”
Bringing the debate to a close, Cllr Richardson proposed that the matter be included on next month’s agenda so councillors could have a formal discussion and reach a decision. She said she would declare an interest and take no part in that discussion or vote.
After the meeting, Mr Penson accused the council of being evasive and “hiding behind process”.
He disputed Cllr Blackburn’s assertion that changes could only be made at the council’s annual meeting in May, arguing that councillors could consider changing their own rotation rules in October.
Mr Penson said: “I now intend to set up a petition to call for immediate support for a motion to extend the term of the current mayor by one year and furthermore a vote of no confidence in any councillor who does not support it, and ask them to resign.”
He said his proposed protest party, PENO, “People’s Enterprise for Nonsense and Other-stuff”, would seek to hold councillors to account, with the party and petition due to launch online on September 20.
Although Mr Penson said Cllrs Blackburn and Walmsley had refused to allow the issue to become an agenda item, the meeting concluded with Cllr Richardson’s assurance that it would return for formal consideration.
Town council elections in May 2027 could also change the membership of the council, potentially bringing further changes to its approach to selecting the mayor. No extension to Cllr Richardson’s term has been agreed.