A NEW mayor has taken up his role in a traditional ceremony.
Councillor John Lethbridge has taken up his new role as the 416th Mayor of Durham.
He was installed during the mayor making ceremony, attended by the ceremonial bodyguard, at Durham Town Hall yesterday.
In keeping with tradition, he then handed out silver coins to children in Durham Market Place.
Cllr Lethbridge’s consort will be his wife Sandra and his chosen charity for the Mayor’s Appeal will be the Royal British Legion.
The father and grandfather, who represents the Woodhouse Close ward on Durham County Council, has been a member of the authority since 20004.
A former pupil of Broompark and Bowburn junior schools and Durham Johnston Grammar School, Cllr Lethbridge has a BA in Arts from the Open University and a Master’s in Education from Newcastle University.
He qualified as a teacher in 1967 and spent his teaching career at Sedgefield Secondary Modern School until retiring in 2002.
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