At Annual Council, held in St Helens Town Hall today (Wednesday 17 May), Councillor Clarke – who represents Windle ward – was formally sworn in for 2023-24.

Lynn has worked in the public sector, including the NHS and local government for over 40 years; working in councils across Merseyside.

Elected to council in 2016, Lynn has represented the Town Centre Ward and now Windle. She has served as the environmental services’ portfolio holder in Cabinet, introducing the collection of recyclable plastics.

She has also served on the Merseyside Police and Crime Panel and as a member of the Merseyside Fire and Rescue Authority. Most recently, Lynn has chaired the council’s Audit and Governance Committee and is also a Governor at Merton Bank Primary School.

In 2018 Lynn became the first female Councillor to hold the position of Armed Forces Champion, a role she proudly retains today.

And this year Lynn becomes the first Mayor of St Helens to introduce the role of ‘Mayor’s Cadet’. She will be accompanied at Armed Forces events in the borough by a local young person attending a cadet programme. Lynn will continue to promote the Armed Forces and her support for Cadets throughout her year in office.

For her mayoral charity appeal, Councillor Lynn Clarke has chosen to support the Windle-based Deafness Resource Centre during her term of office, which supports individuals and families affected by hearing loss through advocacy, aids and training such as sign language courses.

Anyone wishing to support the Mayor’s Appeal can do so by sending donations directly to the Mayor’s Secretary, Democratic Services, St Helens Borough Council, St Helens Town Hall, Victoria Square, St Helens, WA10 1HP. Cheques should be made payable to ‘The Mayor’s Appeal Fund’.

Speaking of her pride to be representing St Helens Borough as Mayor, Councillor Clarke said:

“St Helens Borough has been my family home for more than 40 years and I am honoured to represent it as Mayor. I’m excited to get started, meeting many wonderful local people, seeing the fantastic work that goes on in our communities and raising much-needed funds for some vital local causes. I’m particularly pleased that my daughter Hayley will be joining me on this journey, having agreed to be my Mayoress this year!

“I’m also profoundly proud to continue working as the council’s Armed Forces Champion and will this year be introducing a new role to raise the profile of our brilliant serving personnel and veterans, with a Mayoral Cadet representing young people in cadet programmes at Armed Forces events.”

Lynn takes the mayoral chains from Councillor Sue Murphy, who was given the opportunity to serve the borough as mayor for two years, and helped to raise more than £8,000 for Alder Hey Children’s Hospital, Helen Marie Friends and Willowbrook Hospice.

This year’s Mayor Making ceremony also saw Moss Bank ward councillor Jeanette Banks named deputy mayor for 2023-24.