New Mayor of Worthing pledges to build on lockdown community spirit

The new Mayor of Worthing has pledged to help the town return to ‘some form of normal’ while retaining the spirit shown by residents during lockdown.

In an unprecedented Annual Meeting of the Full Council ceremony on Tuesday night, conducted with members of the borough council via remote video technology, Clr Lionel Harman, was voted in as the new First Citizen. He replaces last year’s Mayor, Clr Hazel Thorpe.

After leaving his screen for a few minutes to don the mayoral chains, Cllr Harman returned to tell members he was proud to be chosen to serve Worthing, particularly at a time when community cohesion was so vital.

‘Although these are unusual times I am looking forward to working with all companies, groups and individuals from our great Town to help return us to some form of normal,’ he said, ‘With all the good will and selfless acts of kindness displayed over the past few months, I wish to encourage all of us to continue to show this respect for others to build a better society for everyone now and in the future. 

‘I intend to use my mayoral term doing everything I can to make this happen.’

Cllr Harman was first elected a councillor for Castle ward in 2015 and then reelected in 2019. Married to Karen, they have four children and six grandchildren.

The new Mayor works tirelessly alongside Worthing Veterans and other military organisations as the Worthing Borough Council’s Armed Forces Champion.

He is also a Trustee for TS Vanguard the Worthing branch of the Sea Cadets. 

Cllr Harman has chosen three local charities to support through fundraising in his Mayoral year. They are: Worthing Mencap’s Buddy’s drop-in centre and information hub, Worthing Sea Cadets and The Worthing Society. He told members that details of how contributions could be made to the charities would be released shortly.

Cllr Sean McDonald was elected Deputy Mayor for the following year