New Matlock mayor reveals his vision for town

At the Annual Meeting of Matlock Town Council, held on Tuesday 4 th May 2021, Councillor Steve Wain was elected as the new Mayor of Matlock.

Councillor Steve Wain represents North of Jackson Road ward and was elected to the Town Council in 2019.

At the same meeting, Councillor Paul Cruise who represents Chesterfield Road East has been elected at Deputy Mayor of Matlock.

At the Annual Meeting Cllr Wain gave an acceptance speech, where he outlined his vision for the town and thanked his predecessor.

Cllr Wain said: “I wish to thank Councillor David Hughes for the excellent work he has undertaken throughout his two terms as Mayor of Matlock.

"He was a newly elected councillor when appointed as mayor and has had to contend with the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as the floods of November 2019.

"He remains a valued ambassador for the town, championing environmental and community issues.

“I am honoured to be given the opportunity to undertake the role of mayor of Matlock and will carry it out to the best of my ability.

“I will carry out my duties and responsibilities with honesty, integrity with the support of councillors and staff to ensure Matlock remains a beautiful place to live, work and visit.

“My priorities during the coming year are to enable our town to move on from the coronavirus pandemic and see businesses grow and thrive.

"This council has been working hard for some time in an effort to see Matlock ‘bounce back’ from the adversity it has faced from the pandemic and flooding.

"Through Councillor Paul Cruise and staff, we are consulting with businesses and other organisations to establish the most effective way, to not only retain businesses, but see others starting up and thereby reduce the number of empty shops.

“I am also aware of the difficulties businesses and homes have in some areas of Matlock, in relation to surface water run-off and flooding. Existing infrastructure requires reviewing and updating and this has been acknowledged by partner agencies and I will work hard to challenge them to deliver.

“Environmental issues are also a priority and I will work with other councillors and hopefully groups, such as the Derbyshire Dales Climate Coalition, in an effort to reduce the carbon footprint of not only this council but our community.

“I will continue to challenge inappropriate development within our town in an effort to ensure that new development compliments and enhances our existing buildings and is compliant with our climate objectives.

“I also wish to see more community engagement with our council. It should not be forgotten that there are three tiers of local government located in Matlock and each has differing degrees of impact upon our town.

“I encourage anyone with any issue regarding development, infrastructure, vacant business properties, or anything else, to contact the council or to attend one of the monthly meetings of Matlock Town Council. This Council values the views of our community”

To find out more about Matlock Town Council’s work, visit: www.matlock.gov.uk or follow us on social media: Facebook: @AllThingsMatlock Twitter: @MatlockCouncil