The Charter Trustees for the City of Durham held their annual meeting, which included the election of a new Mayor and Deputy Mayor, and the appointment of various civic officers. The meeting also scheduled a review of future meeting dates for the Charter Trustees.

Election of Mayor and Deputy Mayor

A significant portion of the meeting was dedicated to the formal processes surrounding the election of the Mayor and Deputy Mayor. This included the presentation of Mayoral Service Medals, the election of the Mayor, and the appointment of the Deputy Mayor. Following these appointments, the newly elected Mayor and Deputy Mayor were scheduled to retire to the Robing Room, with the meeting adjourning briefly. The agenda also outlined the formal acceptance of office by the new Mayor, including receiving the Seal and making a Declaration of Acceptance, followed by an acceptance speech. The retiring Mayor and Mayoress were to be formally thanked, and their jewels presented. The meeting also included the swearing-in of new members of the Mayoral Bodyguard.

Appointment of Civic Officers

The meeting agenda included the appointment of several key civic officers. These appointments were:

• Pant Master: Mr James Lee
• Billet Master: Superintendent Andrea Arthur, Durham Constabulary
• Macebearer: Mr David Baker
• Swordbearer: Mr Tom Dixon
• Recorder: Mr Mac Williams
• Mayor's Chaplain: The Dean of Durham, The Very Reverend Dr Philip Plyming

Future Meetings of the Charter Trustees

The report from the Clerk to the Charter Trustees, Jennifer Rogers, outlined the proposed dates for future meetings of the Charter Trustees for the City of Durham for the municipal year 2026/27. The report recommended that the Charter Trustees agree to these dates. The scheduled meetings were planned to commence at 11:30 am, following County Council meetings. However, as there was no County Council meeting in June 2026, a specific meeting for the Charter Trustees was arranged for Wednesday, 24 June 2026, at 2:00 pm. Other proposed meeting dates included Wednesday, 21 October 2026, Wednesday, 9 December 2026, Wednesday, 27 January 2027, and Wednesday, 24 March 2027.

Previous Minutes and Announcements

The meeting was scheduled to include the confirmation of the minutes from the previous meeting held on 28 January 2026. Additionally, there was an item for Mayor's Announcements, providing an opportunity for the Mayor to share any relevant information.

Honorary Alderman Arrangements and Risk Assessment Review

The report pack also referenced discussions from a previous meeting on 28 January 2026, which included the consideration of Honorary Alderman arrangements and a review of the Risk Assessment for the Charter Trustees. In relation to Honorary Aldermen, the Charter Trustees had previously agreed to recognise specific individuals, including Alderman R Ormerod, A Simpson, D Stoker, P Taylor, and Alderwoman J Chaplow. This recognition involved adding their names to the Alderman board in the Town Hall and allowing them to wear red robes at ceremonial events. The report also detailed the approval of the Risk Assessment for the Charter Trustees, noting that a revised version had been presented in a new format that included more information regarding the scoring of risks and evidence of compliance. The evaluation of Civic Assets had also been completed, and the insurance asset register updated accordingly.