New Mayor and Deputy Mayor of Guildford ‘Made’ at Traditional Ceremony

Published on: 16 May, 2022
Updated on: 16 May, 2022

Masuk Miah the new Deputy Mayor with the new mayor in the Castle Grounds.

Dennis Booth is the new Mayor of Guildford and Masuk Miah is his deputy.

Both appointments were confirmed at the traditional, ceremonial council meeting, or “Mayor Making”, that takes place each year at the Guildhall on Wednesday, May 11.

Cllr Booth (Christchurch) is the first Residents for Guildford & Villages R4GV) mayor. The party only came into being shortly before the last borough council election in May 2019. Masuk Miah is a Lib Dem councillor for Stoughton

Cllrs Bob McShee and Tom Hunt formally proposed Cllr Booth as mayor and this year’s outgoing mayor Marsha Moseley, nominated Cllr Miah. The full council then voted its approval and the new mayor and deputy mayor signed a declaration of acceptance and took an oath of allegiance.

During his year the new mayor will continue to support The Mayor of Guildford’s Local Support Fund which helps people facing financial problems. The mayor’s chosen charity is Challengers, which supports thousands of disabled children and young people.

Dennis will also be out and about in the borough as much as possible. With a passion for Guildford, he is committed to representing and helping residents and is looking forward to meeting them and supporting local events.

Please watch the GBC video of the mayor making here…

The new mayor said: “My mayoral year will focus on ‘growing the community’. I will be connecting with as many people as possible. I am an active member of our local communities. I will use this experience to encourage togetherness across the borough.

“The willingness of people in our communities to support each other inspires and encourages me. We are all learning to live with new challenges from the Covid 19 Pandemic. But our resilient communities are still rising to the challenges of our time.

“I look forward to raising more awareness of, and funds for, Challengers. The charity supports families with children who face significant challenges in their lives. It offers exciting, inclusive opportunities for them across Surrey and the South East. I will be supporting the charities fundraising events.”

Dennis has lived in Guildford, where he met his wife Mary, since the mid-1970s. He became a local councillor after retiring in 2018 and has been vice-chair of the Licensing Committee and a member the Service Delivery Community Executive Advisory Board. He is also the Deputy Armed Forces Champion.

Masuk Miah the new Deputy Mayor with the new mayor in the Castle Grounds.

Councillor Masuk Miah also became a councillor in 2019, for Stoughton. Masuk is well known for his charity and community work across the borough. He is a member of the Licensing Committee and the Strategy & Resources Executive Advisory Board.

Guildford’s Honorary Remembrancer, Matthew Alexander, was re-appointed for 2022-23. He has been our Honorary Remembrancer since 2010.