Long-standing Burnley councillor honoured to take up deputy mayor post

A Tory politician whose ousting from a borough’s executive lead to the collapse of its ruling coalition has been chosen as its deputy mayor.
By Bill Jacobs
Published 3rd Nov 2020, 10:10 BST
Updated 3rd Nov 2020, 10:38 BST
Coun. Cosima Towneley will be Burnley's deputy mayor until the end of the civic year.Coun. Cosima Towneley will be Burnley's deputy mayor until the end of the civic year.
Coun. Cosima Towneley will be Burnley's deputy mayor until the end of the civic year.

Coun. Cosima Towneley had been one of two of the party’s representatives in the Burnley Council cabinet until Conservative group leader Alan Hosker demanded she and colleague Coun. Ivor Emo quit in August.

The following month the coalition, which had run the borough for 16 months, collapsed as Burnley and Padiham Independent Coun. Charlie Briggs resigned as leader and the Liberal Democrats withdrew.

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Last month Labour regained control of the council and its leader Mark Townsend gave up his post as deputy mayor to become borough boss.

At last week’s full council meeting Cliviger with Worsthorne ward’s Coun. Towneley was elevated to the post until the end of the civic year.

A change to council rules means her temporary appointment will not affect her ability to be deputy mayor and then Mayor in the future.

Coun. Townsend intends to take up the post of Burnley’s First Citizen in the summer.

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Current Mayor Cllr Wajid Khan said he looked forward to working with Coun. Towneley who has been a Burnley councillor since May 2007.

She told her colleagues holding the post would be ‘an honour’. Coun. Hosker congratulated her.

Related topics:BurnleyMark TownsendBurnley Council

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