FROME has a new mayor, and at 22 years of age, cllr Dickon Moore is the town’s youngest ever mayor and one of the youngest mayors in the country.
Cllr Moore takes over the mayoral chain from cllr Pippa Goldfinger. Cllr Tricia Golinski has been elected as deputy mayor.
Cllr Moore joined the town council in 2011 when he was voted in as one of the Independents for Frome (IfF).
He says his passion for Frome, and enthusiasm for the IfF, is what encouraged him to stand for the council two years ago and will continue to inspire him as mayor. He has taken on the mayoral chain with relish and says that, despite his youth, his two years on the council have been a great experience.
“I’ve learnt a lot, it’s been a big learning curve since I started,” he said. “I love Frome, it’s a wonderfully special place and I’m really pleased I can take up the post.
“Since I became a Frome town councillor two years ago Nick White and Pippa Goldfinger have been fantastic mayors and I hope to live up to their legacy. Iʼm very proud to represent this inspiring and inclusive town and Iʼm looking forward to the year ahead.”
While the council has a number of ambitious projects, cllr Moore named three projects he will pay particular attention to over his term. The first is the town centre improvements, which he says are the key to the vitality of the town centre and local businesses. He is also interested in the developments at the Cheese and Grain and in finding funding to push forward the river corridor project to improve areas along the River Frome.
He is also looking forward to working with Cara Honey, the new Mayor for Young People, and her deputy, Alex Shingler.
During his term as mayor, cllr Moore will support three local charities. These are Friends of the River Frome, FROGS (Frome Recreation and Open Ground Supporters), and OpenStoryTellers.
Cllr Moore attended Oakfield Middle School (now Oakfield Academy) and Frome College, and is now studying for an Open University degree in mathematics. He works four days a week for English Heritage at Farleigh Hungerford Castle.