CULTURAL ENGAGEMENT
LORD MAYORS: WHY DO SOME COUNCILS GET ROYAL RECOGNITION?
Buckingham Palace in the United Kingdom.
by Lauren DeLorenzo, Journalist, Council magazine
From David Attenborough to Adele, royal titles are typically bestowed in recognition of an individual’s contribution to their field. So why do some Australian councils have a lord mayor while others miss out on the title, and what does it mean for local governments?
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ustralia has over 500 local government councils, but only a select few of them elect lord mayors. Melbourne, Perth, Canberra, Sydney, Adelaide, Hobart and Darwin each have a lord mayor, recognising the capital cities as prominent areas for culture and history. The British monarchy has also bestowed the title on Parramatta, Wollongong and Newcastle after they reached significant milestones. Here, Council dives into why these cities were granted the title, how a mayor can be nominated, and what being lord mayor actually means. THE SIGNIFICANCE OF A LORD MAYOR TITLE The title of lord mayor does not come with any additional powers or advantages, save for the recognition it brings to the reputation of the council.
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Winter 2022 // ISSUE 3
So what is it that sets lord mayors apart from regular mayors? Is it undertaking significant charity work? Setting forth grand council initiatives? Making bold policy decisions? The answer is that there are no specific criteria to be eligible for the title of lord mayor. Historically, the title has been granted to mayors of certain capital cities in Commonwealth countries. A handful of lord mayor positions exist in the UK, Canada and Uganda, where they are ceremonial posts recognising major cities. In Ireland, which split from the Commonwealth and became a republic in 1949, the title of lord mayor has been kept in the country’s capital, Dublin, and in Cork as a symbolic title. In Australia, the title functions a little differently, as the mayor of every capital city in the country is given lord mayor status. But, it’s not just capital cities that are eligible for the title. In the UK, Bradford was granted the honour as it was (at the time) the largest municipality without the lord mayor title.
www.councilmagazine.com.au
