The Mayor

Councillor Arnold England was elected as Mayor for 2023/2024 at the Annual Council Meeting and Mayor Making Ceremony on Thursday, 25 May 2023. 

Born in Exmouth, Arnold moved to Telford in 1969 where he worked for GKN Sankey for 11 years. After gaining a scholarship to attend Ruskin College in Oxford, Arnold gained his first qualification at age 34 and went on to become a district councillor in 1979 and a county councillor in 1981.

Arnold's work within the community has allowed him to build working relationships with people who were local Magistrates, enabling him to be appointed to sit on the bench in 1990, whereby he gained experience serving as Chair in Youth Courts.

Gaining employment with the Council in 1984 within the Leisure Department, Arnold managed Sports Centres until his early retirement in 1999 at which point he became a Parish Clerk for Hollinswood and Randlay Parish Council until 2003. Dedicated to his care work, Arnold also joined the South Telford Young Peoples Support Scheme, becoming Chair and training to be a young persons mentor.

Serving as a borough councillor for 11 years, Arnold has held various roles on the Council, holding the position of Cabinet Member for Leisure and Wellbeing from 2011 - 2013 and Cabinet Member for Adult Social Care from 2013 - 2019, and subsequently took on the role as Speaker of the Council for 2020/2021. Arnold also held the position of Deputy Mayor of the Borough of Telford and Wrekin for 2022/2023.

Arnold serves as a parish and town councillor for Stirchley and Brookside Parish Council and Madeley Town Council. Arnold was appointed as Madeley Town Council's very first Mayor in 2019 following a change of direction from the traditional chairman title. 

For his Mayor’s Charity Appeal, Arnold has chosen to raise money for those currently in care, care leavers and young people across the borough, having been a child in care and a care leaver himself.

The Deputy Mayor

The Mayor will be supported during his year in Office by the Deputy Mayor, Councillor Ian Preece who is one of two elected representatives for Horsehay and Lightmoor ward. 

Serving as a borough councillor since 2021, Ian has previously held the postion of Chair of the Council’s Appeals Committee, as well as sitting on other committees including Business and Finance Scrutiny, Licensing, Planning and Standards.

Ian also serves as a town councillor for Great Dawley Town Council and was appointed for a second consecutive term as Mayor of Great Dawley for 2023/2024. During Ian's first year as a Town Mayor, he raised over £3,000 for his chosen charity, Severn Hospice. This was accomplished by undertaking extreme challenges including cycling from Dawley to Dover in less than 24 hours, and taking part in a “Fire Walk” challenge by walking on hot coals, barefoot.

Last updated: 21/07/2023 12:56