Macclesfield has a new Mayor and Deputy Mayor as of this week, as Macclesfield Town Council had their first in-person meeting since before the pandemic.

Tributes were paid to the retiring Mayor Cllr Sarah Bennett-Wake, who served the town for the past year as Mayor during the pandemic.

Her Deputy, Tytherington Cllr David Edwardes was made Mayor for the next 12 months.

Macclesfield South Cllr Fiona Wilson was made the Deputy Mayor for the upcoming year.

Macclesfield's new Mayor has been a Town Councillor since 2019.

He is an Independent for Macclesfield Tytherington, and also sits on Cheshire East Council.

He was accompanied at the ceremony by his wife Natalia Belinskaya, and their son Alex.

"As Mayor this year, I am also incredibly proud to work with the present Council which has done an amazing job. We have 12 Councillors who are all committed to the town and the residents. We are so lucky," said David.

"In Tytherington we are close to starting on the footpath-cycleway linking Manchester Road with The Middlewood Way, and the playing fields on Rugby Drive are close to being playable. Bollinbrook is also having TLC showered on it by the Macclesfield Town Rangers.

"In the town itself we are moving closer and closer to having Electric Vehicle Charging points in our car parks – hopefully the next year will see it happen.

"I am sure you will all have seen the incredible steps forward with the flowers, the sitting out and dining out areas, the new businesses springing up like mushrooms.

"I am also Chair of licensing of Cheshire East Council, and I am pleased to say I had five applications for new licenses pass across my desk in the last fortnight.

"We hope this will continue, and we are working hard to make the town attractive to encourage new businesses to open here."

The Mayor also revealed his charities for his term in office.

The first will be the Windyway Trust, the animal charity with shops on Chestergate and Crompton Road.

Cllr Edwardes has volunteered at their store for many years. The second charity will be the Macclesfield Round Table.

Our new Deputy Mayor Cllr Fiona Wilson, a Labour Councillor, has lived in Macc since 1970. She is a keen walker, music-lover and theatre-goer.

The latest Deputy Mayor was accompanied at the Macclesfield Town Council annual general meeting by her husband Brian Puddicombe, who represents Macclesfield South on Cheshire East Council.

"We've shared a life of trade unionism and politics, standing side-by-side on the campaign trail," said Cllr Wilson.

"And I look forward to my term of office as Deputy Mayor with Brian by my side."

Outgoing Mayor Cllr Sarah Bennett-Wake had this to say: "It has been a really strange year for everybody. But this time last year, I was elected mayor on Zoom.

"It is easy to focus on the sorrow and despair caused by the pandemic. Every family has been impacted by the loss of loved ones. Special occasions, incomes, jobs and homes have been lost too.

"But out of the heartbreak, there is hope. Our Macclesfield key workers kept going with an army of support from volunteers.

"If I could give every one of you a medal. I would. We thank you.

"And also thank you to the lovely Councillor David Edwardes, my Deputy Mayor for his enthusiasm and support. I'm sure his year will be much busier than mine, and more in real life, than virtual."

It was also first ever in-person meeting for new Macclesfield Central Ward Councillor Sandy Livingstone, who was elected in early May.

Elsewhere in the event, praise was heaped onto Macclesfield's first ever environmental summit, and to local democracy champion Jackie Weaver, who they hope will visit Macclesfield soon.

The council also renewed memberships to The Allotment Society and The Chinese Society.

West & Ivy Ward Cllr Alift Harewood-Jones MBE highlighted how the renewal of the latter membership honours our town's heritage with the original Silk Road.

Macclesfield Nub News congratulates the new Mayor and Deputy on their positions.

We would also like to thank the outgoing Mayor for her service.

The hour-long event was held in The Assembly Room of Macclesfield Town Hall.

The full council meeting and Mayor making ceremony will be uploaded to the Macclesfield Town Council YouTube.

More information on Macclesfield's councillors can be found here.

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