Bridgwater’s new Mayor, Cllr Leigh Redman, was elected by councillors at Bridgwater Town Council’s Annual Meeting held on Thursday 21 May.
Cllr Redman, who previously served as Deputy Mayor, took over the mayoral chain from Cllr Kathy Pearce and will serve as Mayor for the coming year.
Cllr Leigh Redman said,
“It is a great honour to serve as Mayor of Bridgwater once again. As a lifelong resident, I am deeply proud of our town and the people who make it such a strong and vibrant community. I look forward to working with residents, community groups and partners to help ensure Bridgwater continues to thrive and reach its full potential.”
Cllr Redman represents the Hamp Ward and is also a Somerset Councillor for Bridgwater North and Central.
Leigh has a long-standing commitment to public service and the local community. Over the past eight years, he has been a strong advocate for youth services and has worked to ensure that the Hinkley Point C development delivers tangible benefits for the people of Bridgwater. He is also an active member and Secretary of the Hamp Community Association.
With an engineering and trade union background, Leigh has dedicated much of his working life to service, including 20 years as a retained firefighter at Bridgwater Fire Station. During this time, he also represented the Fire Brigades Union on national issues.
This will be Cllr Redman’s third term as Mayor, having previously served in 2015 and again during the extended COVID-19 period in 2020 and 2021, when he worked hard to reassure residents and visitors that “Bridgwater was open for business” as the community emerged from the pandemic.
The Mayor’s chosen charity for the year ahead is Young Somerset, the county’s largest youth work charity. Young Somerset is dedicated to putting young people first, supporting them to take responsibility, build confidence and play an active role in shaping their communities through positive opportunities and trusted relationships.
Cllr Redman is committed to engaging with young people and using his term to promote the role of the Mayor and the work of the Town Council to Bridgwater’s future generations.
The Deputy Mayor for the forthcoming year is Cllr Tim Mander
If you would like the Mayor to attend your event you can complete our online form Book the Mayor – Bridgwater Town Council or contact us on 01278 427692