New Mayor To Be Welcomed In Stafford This Saturday

A new Mayor of Stafford Borough will be welcomed this Saturday with a ceremony, church service and military parade through Stafford town centre.

Councillor Mark Winnington will officially take on the role of Mayor of Stafford Borough on Saturday 16 May. He will take over from the current Mayor, Councillor Jenny Barron.

What is happening?

The annual council meeting, known as Mayor Making, will take place at the Gatehouse Theatre.

After the ceremony, there will be a church service, followed by a military march through Stafford town centre at around 12.45pm.

Hundreds of people are expected to line the streets as service personnel, local organisations and members of the community mark the occasion.

Road closures for the parade

There will be a couple of road closures around Mill Street and Earl Street between 12.30pm and 1.30pm.

This is to allow the parade to take place safely.

People heading into Stafford town centre around lunchtime may want to allow a little extra time.

Who is the new Mayor?

Councillor Winnington has represented the Gnosall and Woodseaves Ward on Stafford Borough Council and was first elected to the council in 2003.

He has also served as a Staffordshire County Councillor and is a member of Ranton Parish Council. His wife, Rosie, will become Mayoress.

Councillor Winnington said it was a “great honour” to be chosen for the role and said he was looking forward to representing the borough.

Chosen charities

During his year as Mayor, Councillor Winnington will raise funds for:

• Katharine House Hospice

• Staffordshire Air Ambulance

Councillor Frank James, who represents Holmcroft, has been chosen as Deputy Mayor. He previously served as Mayor in 2024/25.