Yahoo News Tuffley's Lorraine Campbell elected as 'unifying' mayor of Gloucester while Pam Tracey is sheriff for third time
Tuffley’s Lorraine Campbell has been elected as “unifying” mayor of Gloucester. Gloucester City Council elected the Conservative councillor to become the first citizen for the year 2024/25.
Councillor Pam Tracey (C, Westgate) has been elected as sheriff of the city. It’s her third time in the role. Councillor Andy Lewis (C, Quedgeley Severn Vale) proposed Cllr Campbell’s (C, Tuffley) election as mayor at the meeting on May 20 and praised her spirit and sense of community and commitment.
He believes she will be a great mayor and her empathy will suit her in the role. “She is going to make this city so proud,” he said.
Cllr Stephanie Chambers (C, Quedgeley Fieldcourt), who seconded her nomination, said Cllr Campbell’s personality is unifying. “That’s what this chamber needs and this city needs,” she said.
“A unifying and responsible person for us. I’m so grateful to the Conservative group for nominating me, to all the members of this council for their endorsement and of course to the voters of Tuffley who brought me to this chamber in the first place,” she said.
“I thank each and every one of you for the faith you’ve placed in me and I will do my utmost to be worthy of that. I am deeply honoured."
She said she could have never imagined becoming mayor. “To all those who’ve supported me, my husband Ross, my son John, friends, Paula and Gerald Dee and other council colleagues and so many more, I say a heartfelt thank you.
“I can hardly believe I have been given the privilege to serve my city and ward in this prestigious and historic way. I’m so blessed and proud. I was born in Gloucester, I’ve never lived anywhere else, and I’ve been a resident of Tuffley for 55 years.
"I have a strong commitment to and an abiding love of this place which I am sure we all share.”
Cllr Tracey thanked all those who work at the City Council and called on people to talk up Gloucester and be proud of the city. She said more people should shop in the city centre.
“I hope we can all work united together and be a happy council as the mayor said,” Cllr Tracey said. “Let’s get out to the city and let's show we care. We are all individuals we’ve got to remember we are here for the people of this wonderful city of Gloucester.”
She said it felt like deja-vu as it was her third term in the civic office. And joked she hoped that meant she could get to keep the civic chain - or at least a replica.
The mayor is the first citizen of the City of Gloucester and acts as the council's chairman. And the role represents the authority and the city at civic, ceremonial and community events both inside Gloucester's boundaries and elsewhere.
The ancient office of sheriff or bailiff, as it was sometimes called, is perhaps the oldest of civic roles and usually hundreds of years older than that of mayor, in most towns and cities. From 1066, towns and cities were administered for the king by a reeve - (the term Sheriff derives from Shire Reeve).
In Gloucester, the office of Sheriff is nearly 500 years older than the City Council. King John's Charter of 1200, at a time when local government in Gloucester was by the general meeting of the Burgesses, is the first to specifically give the right to have two bailiffs to perform the role of sheriffs. In modern times, they act as the mayor's deputy.
