THE 61st Lord Mayor of Oxford will be welcomed into his role at the start of next week.

City councillor Mark Lygo is set to take up the office of Lord Mayor of Oxford at a virtual ‘handing over of the chains’ ceremony.

The ceremony will take place on the city council’s YouTube channel at 4pm on Monday. November 30.

It will be the first time in Oxford’s history that the ‘handing over of the chains’ ceremony has taken place virtually.

Mr Lygo will take over the responsibility from Councillor Craig Simmons, who has served as Lord Mayor of Oxford since May 2019.

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The ceremony will also see Stephen Goddard take over as Deputy Lord Mayor, and Dick Wolff take over as Sheriff of Oxford.

All three will carry out charity fundraising and represent the city at official events throughout their terms.

Mr Lygo was due to take over as Lord Mayor of Oxford in May 2020, but the ceremony was cancelled due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic and the council agreed in May 2020 at the annual council meeting to extend Mr Simmons’ term for six months along with the terms of office of the Deputy Lord Mayor and Sheriff of Oxford.

Oxford Mail:

Outgoing Lord Mayor Craig Simmons at St Giles Fair in 2019. Picture: Andy Ffrench

Labour councillor Mr Lygo's time as Lord Mayor of Oxford will formally begin at the start of the council meeting on November 30, so the ‘handing over of the chains’ next week is purely ceremonial.

The City council has recorded a special video for the occasion, which includes Green Party councillor Mr Simmons summing up his unusual term of office; councillors Susan Brown and Mike Rowley explaining why they nominated Mr Lygo for the role, and a virtual handing over of the chains from one screen to another.

The new civic office holders will be in post for 18 months – subject to their re-election as councillors in the May 2021 local elections and a confirmatory vote at the annual meeting in May 2021.

The city council will return to one-year terms of office from May 2022.

Traditionally, the role of Lord Mayor of Oxford is given to the city council’s longest-serving councillor who has not already had the role.

The Lord Mayor generally carries out more than 300 engagements each year.

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The first recorded Mayor of Oxford is Turchillus, who held the honour between 1122 and 1123, and mayors’ names stretch in an unbroken line until 1962, when the 'dignity of the Lord Mayor' was granted to Oxford by the queen.

Councillor Lygo is the 61st Lord Mayor of Oxford since 1962.

He was first elected to Oxford City Council in 2008 representing Churchill ward.

Oxford Mail:

Mark Lygo at the 2017 Oxfordshire County Council election result. Picture: John Lewis

He has served on a number of City Council committees during his tenure, including Planning, Licensing and Scrutiny, and currently sits on two outside bodies, Bullingdon Community Association and Oxford Sports Council.

Councillor Lygo is also a serving County Councillor and has represented Marston and Northway Division since 2003.

Born and bred in Oxford, Councillor Lygo lives in Headington with his wife and two children.

Mr Lygo said: “I am delighted to have been selected as Lord Mayor of Oxford; it is both a privilege and an honour to be chosen to represent our city. This past year has been a challenge for everyone yet Oxford has demonstrated great unity, resilience and innovation in the face of unprecedented adversity."