Free tickets are available for Portsmouth’s mayor-making ceremony which takes place on Tuesday 16 May at Portsmouth Guildhall. This traditional civic event is where the current Lord Mayor takes their leave from office, a new Lord Mayor is elected, and newly elected councillors are presented.
The new Lord Mayor of Portsmouth will be formally elected at the annual meeting of the council from 10am. Guests are asked to be seated by 9.30am.
Councillors will make nominations for the new Lord Mayor before voting to decide who will hold the role for the next year. Once a Lord Mayor is chosen they take up the post and nominate the charities for which they will be raising funds throughout the year.
As part of the ceremony the new Lord Mayor will receive the Keys of the City from The Princess of Wales Royal Regiment, and be presented with the Portsmouth Sword from the Royal Navy which symbolises the interdependence of the Royal Navy and the City of Portsmouth. Music throughout the ceremony will be played on the Portsmouth Guildhall’s grand organ, originally built in 1959, with singers including a choir from a local school.
The mayor making ceremony is also an opportunity to honour people who make a real change to the city, with a series of civic awards presented by the Lord Mayor, that recognise those people and organisations who have improved the local community and made a large contribution to the city and its people.
Free tickets are available on a first-come, first-served basis. They are available from Cosham Library, Central Library or the Guildhall reception Box Office from 6 April 2023.
ENDS