North Manor councillor Dorothy Gunther is new Mayor of Bury

North Manor councillor Dorothy Gunther has been sworn in as the new Mayor of Bury for the municipal year 2017/18.

Cllr Gunther (aged 74), who lives in Summerseat with her husband Michael, took over the chains of office from East ward councillor Mike Connolly at the annual meeting of Bury Council yesterday (Wed 17 May).

She was first elected to Bury Council in 1992 for the Ramsbottom ward, and was then elected in 2004 to represent the newly-created ward of North Manor, which includes the areas of Hawkshaw, Greenmount, Holcombe Brook, Summerseat, Walmersley and Nangreaves. With 23 years’ service, she is the third longest serving councillor in Bury.

Cllr Gunther has served in a wide variety of roles on Bury Council, including as executive member for the environment. She has also been a member of the planning, education and housing committees, and is currently chair of Ramsbottom, Tottington and North Manor Township Forum.

She spent her working life with Esso Petroleum, now Exxon Mobil, before taking early retirement and working on assignments with the probation service, the NHS and Railtrack, thus gaining experience in both the public and private sectors.

She is a governor of The Derby High School and Holcombe Brook Primary School and is involved in a number of voluntary organisations.

Her husband Michael will serve as the mayor’s consort for the coming year.

The mayor has chosen three organisations to benefit from the Mayoral Charity Appeal – Bury Hospice, Bleakholt Animal Sanctuary, and the Royal National Lifeboat Institution.

A mayoral service will be held at St Anne’s Church, Tottington on Sunday 11 June starting at 10am.

In accordance with tradition, Cllr Connolly and his consort Mr Ian Hargreaves were installed as deputy mayor and consort for the coming year.

ENDS

Press release issued: 18 May 2017.

Picture: The new Mayor of Bury, Cllr Dorothy Gunther, and her husband and mayor’s consort Michael Gunther.