Applause for New Mayor and Civic Procession on Guildford High Street

Published on: 12 May, 2026
Updated on: 12 May, 2026

Jane Tyson Mayor of Guildford

By Martin Giles

Warm applause greeted the new Mayor of Guildford, Jane Tyson, and the Civic Procession as it made its way back to the Guildhall after the annual Civic Service on Sunday, May 10, to mark the start of the mayoral year.

Dominique Williams Deputy Mayor

The new mayor, who takes over from Howard Smith, was elected at the annual “Mayor Making” meeting of Guildford Borough Council on April 29. Dominique Williams, a Lib Dem councillor for Shalford, was also elected as Deputy Mayor.

With the scheduled demise of Guildford Borough Council next April, part of the local government reorganisation in Surrey, the future of the mayoralty is uncertain for the first time in seven centuries.

Jane Tyson at the mayor making ceremony in the Guildhall on April 29

The Civic Service was attended by invited guests, including Deputy Lord Lieutenant, Lt Col (Retd) Patrick Crowley MBE, Honorary Freemen, Honorary Aldermen, councillors, fellow Mayors and local dignitaries.

The service reflected the Mayor’s chosen themes for the year ahead: Vision, Vitality and Voice. Following the welcome and opening hymn, 11 year old Raffi confidently captured these themes, telling the congregation: “With vision we imagine a better future, with vitality, we bring it to life, and with voice, we make sure everyone belongs.”

Mayor of Guildford, Cllr Jane Tyson, repeating the Declaration of Acceptance of Office at Civic Service.

Both celebratory and reflective in tone, this year’s Civic Service featured traditional hymns, prayers and readings, alongside several new elements that brought fresh perspective, including:

A short talk on the history of Guildford’s Mayoralty by Town Guide, Steve Callaghan.
A conversation on the theme of common good between religious leader, Canon Simon Butler, and civic leader, Pedro Wrobel, Joint Chief Executive of Guildford Borough Council and Waverley Borough Council.
Beautiful singing by students from Merrow Junior School.

Civic procession led by Borough Commander, Insp Blaine Rafferty heading to Civic Service.

Cllr Tyson also repeated the Declaration of Acceptance of Office that she made at the Annual Mayor Making.

At the reception after the civic service, Cllr Jane Tyson, Mayor of Guildford, said: “My heartfelt thanks goes to everyone who helped make this civic service not only meaningful, but truly memorable for me, and my family.

“To my fellow councillors, fellow Mayors’ and other civic and faith leaders, thank you for joining us and for the work you do in service of our communities. Your support is deeply appreciated.

“As Mayor of Guildford, I will honour this civic office and serve our community with pride.”

The reception also included a special celebration as the Mayor wished a former Mayor and Honorary Alderman Keith Childs a happy 90th birthday. Guests joined together to sing Happy Birthday and enjoyed a slice of birthday cake to mark the occasion.

Cllr Jane Tyson’s connection with Guildford began in 1993. While working at Guildford Spectrum, she completed an access course at Guildford College before going on to study Education and Psychology, followed by a Postgraduate Certificate in Education.

For over 30 years Jane has worked in education in a wide range of roles, championing resilience, confidence and lifelong learning. She lives in Guildford with her husband and two children.

She is currently a Lib Dem councillor for Burpham.

Vision. Vitality. Voice.

Her theme for the mayoral year is, she said, to be shaped by three guiding values:

Vision: seeing what’s possible for Guildford’s communities
Vitality: bringing energy and momentum to the things that matter
Voice: helping people feel heard, valued and able to express what matters to them.

She is committed to serving the residents of Guildford town and its surrounding villages with energy, openness and integrity. Creating spaces where people feel seen, heard and connected, she hopes to inspire resilience, encourage lifelong learning and demonstrate what becomes possible when people work together.

Cllr Tyson, the Mayor of Guildford, said: “I’m truly honoured and delighted to have become the Mayor of Guildford and proud to be the twentieth female Mayor in that long history.

“I will be connecting with and supporting a wide range of local organisations and groups, particularly those working to support wellbeing in all its forms.

“I hope that through this year, there will be moments where new conversations begin, new connections are made, and something shifts for the better.”

Charity support

Alongside The Mayor of Guildford’s Local Support Fund, Jane has chosen to support two additional charities that make a meaningful contribution to the wellbeing of the community:

Home-Start Guildford, an independent charity supporting families with at least one child under the age of 5, living in Guildford borough

SATRO, which raises young people’s aspirations, building confidence and developing skills ready for work.