A LONG-SERVING councillor is set to become Colchester’s 189th mayor at a ceremony – and he will arrive via an electronic rickshaw.

Greenstead ward councillor Tim Young is set to be sworn in as the borough’s mayor at a ceremony at Colchester Town Hall on Wednesday morning.

His partner Nicola Goodchild will become mayoress, while the new deputy mayor will be veteran councillor John Jowers, with his wife Sue Jowers becoming deputy mayoress.

The mayor and mayoress elect will arrive at Colchester Town Hall by e-rickshaw, accompanied by a flotilla of e-cargo cycles and bikes.

The ceremony will see the new mayor declare his theme for the year – Celebrating Diversity - Challenging Prejudice – and name five charities that will benefit from fundraising activities during his time in office.

After the ceremony, councillors will adjourn to the council chamber to appoint the leader of the council, approve membership of this year’s committees and panels, hear nominations for chair and deputy chair, and discuss other items of council business.

Mr Young said: “Being nominated as Colchester’s mayor is an incredible honour, a huge privilege and a wonderful opportunity to meet people and communities from across the borough and to support some very worthy causes.

“I am tremendously excited to be this year’s mayor and very much looking forward to all the good work we can achieve together over the next 12 months.

“The new mayoress and I are particularly keen to make the mayoralty as carbon-free and eco-friendly as possible and will be using sustainable transport – be that walking, cycling, e-scooters, e-cargo bikes, public transport or electric and hybrid vehicles – to travel to our official engagements wherever possible.

“Mayor making is a time-honoured ceremony and I am delighted to be able share the occasion with people from all communities across the borough who would like to attend.”