City of York Council (Logo)

Meeting:

Executive

Meeting date:

4 November 2025

Report of:

Bryn Roberts, Director of Governance

Portfolio of:

Councillor Douglas,Executive Leader


Decision Report: Lord Mayoralty Points Allocation


Subject of Report

 

1.           To invite the Executive to consider the points allocations for the Lord Mayoralty for the forthcoming municipal year, 2026/2027.

 

Benefits and Challenges

 

2.           A clear and simple process for the selection of a Lord Mayor is essential in the interests of public transparency and secures the full and proper engagement of all parties in the appointment of a Lord Mayor for the City.  Failure to adopt a universally accepted process would potentially arise in disputes regarding the integrity of any appointments made.

 

Policy Basis for Decision

 

3.           The appointment of the Lord Mayor in York is a fundamental part of the city’s continuing historic traditions. The role of Lord Mayor is firmly enshrined in the Council’s Constitution, as an ambassador for the city and its cultural and economic ambitions.  As such, the appointee will play an active part in promoting all the Council’s priorities.  Whilst the qualification requirements for nominations for the Lord Mayoralty are set out in Article 5 of the Constitution, the procedure for arriving at such nominations is not prescribed in the Constitution.

 

 

 

Financial Strategy Implications

 

4.           There are no financial strategy implications arising from this report.

 

Recommendation and Reasons

 

5.           Members are asked to agree the points allocation for the Lord Mayoralty for the municipal year 2026/27 in accordance with the information presented in the table at paragraph 8.

 

Reason: To allow for the nomination to the office of Lord Mayor for the Municipal Year 2026/27.

 

Background

 

6.           The system for nominating the Lord Mayor is based on an accumulation of points determined by the number of seats held by each group or individual on the Council.  The group (or individual) having the largest cumulative total of points on Lord Mayor’s Day each year is invited to nominate the Lord Mayor for the following year.  It should be noted that currently a nominee for Lord Mayor requires at least four years’ service as a City of York Councillor and should be elected to serve a further term, as set out in Article 5 of the Constitution.

 

7.           Should a group lose all its seats on the City Council, it may have any accumulated points frozen until seats are once again gained by that group on the Council.

 

8.           A group (or individual) loses 47 points when nominating the Lord Mayor or when not taking up the offer of nominating.  Under the current points system, the number of points accumulated by each group or independent Member, as we move towards the Annual Meeting in May 2026, is as follows:

 

Party

Points at

LM Day 2025

Loss for LM

2025/2026

Points at

LM Day 2026

Total

Labour

19

 

19 + 24

43

Lib Dem

14

 

 14 + 19

33

Conservatives

60

-47

60 - 47

13

Councillor Warters (Independent)

-34

 

-34 +1

-33

 

9.           This would result in the Labour Group, with 43 points, qualifying for the Lord Mayoralty in 2026/2027.

 

Consultation Analysis

 

10.        No consultations have been required for this decision, as it reverts to the established process for the allocation of the Lord Mayoralty. 

 

11.        Once determined, the qualifying Group will undertake its own consultative exercises within the Group as part of its process for securing its nominee for the role.  Once that Group has reached an agreement for its nomination to the Office of Lord Mayor, the Leader of the Group will make a formal announcement with their nominee at a forthcoming meeting of the Council, prior to the Annual Meeting being held.


Options Analysis

 

12.        Members have two options in respect of the request.  They may:

 

a.           adopt the points allocation for the office of Lord Mayor for the Municipal Year 2025/2026; or

 

b.           not adopt the points allocation.

 

13.        Option a is recommended, as this is the accepted calculation method for determining the Lord Mayoralty.

 

Organisational Impact and Implications

 

14.        There are no direct implications in relation to financial, human resources, legal or equalities arising from the recommendations in this report.

 

Risks and Mitigations

 

15.        There are no specific risks associated with this decision, as there will be a Group which receives the right to nominate to the role of Lord Mayor irrespective of the decision taken.

 

 

 

Wards Impacted

 

16.        All Wards.

 

Contact details

 

For further information please contact the authors of this Decision Report.

 

Author

 

Name:

Bryn Roberts

Job Title:

Director of Governance

Service Area:

Democratic Services

Report approved:

Yes

Date:

21 October 2025


Background papers

 

·        None