Environmentalist and former football referee Steve Beasant back as mayor of North East Lincolnshire

Proud of his roots - new Mayor Cllr Steve Beasant and Deputy Mayor Cllr Janet Goodwin 

STEVE Beasant was elected Mayor of North East Lincolnshire at a ceremony yesterday evening in Grimsby Town Hall.

The Mayor-Making Ceremony takes place each year in May, and sees all 42 councillors elect a Mayor to chair council meetings for the forthcoming municipal year.

The role of Mayor in North East Lincolnshire is also a ceremonial one.

It sees the incumbent visit all corners of the borough, meeting representatives of charities, community organisations and businesses, as well as representing the council at official functions.

Cllr Beasant (Lib-Dem, East Marsh) was also Mayor between May 2022 and May 2023 and deputy mayor from May last year to May this year.

He has appointed Mrs Sandie Hullett as his Mayoress.

After thanking fellow-councillors for their confidence,  Cllr Beasant said:

"Members will recall that I held the role of Mayor quite recently, and they all know how much I enjoyed getting out and meeting local residents and hearing their stories.

“At times, the role can be emotional, listening to the achievements and struggles of other people, but one thing became clear: there are some incredible people in our borough doing some fantastic things, and I want to continue to use the office of Mayor to champion their causes and shine a light on their work."

Born in Grimsby, Cllr Beasant has lived in the East Marsh ward for more than 30 years and has been a ward councillor since 2003.

He is a passionate environmentalist who enjoys listening to the dawn chorus of songbirds in Grimsby's Grant Thorold park near where he lives.

He has previous stood, unsuccessfully,  as a parliamentary candidate for the Liberal Democrats.

Although no longer to be seen as the man in black in the middle, he qualified as a Class I  football referee and officiated at a high level of the game.

The Mayor is not directly elected by the people and therefore holds no direct power. 

Like his predecessors, he will be politically neutral in carrying out his Mayoral duties and chairing council meetings.

Councillor Beasant has named Nurtrio, Friendship at Home, YMCA and Jax’s Stoma Appeals his Mayoral charities, and will undertake fundraising activities over the next 12 months  to raise funds for these  causes.

At the same ceremony, Cllr Janet Goodwin (Lab, South) was elected  Deputy Mayor, with Barry Goodwin to be her Consort.