Cllr Sam Crooks was warmly welcomed as the new Mayor of Milton Keynes in front of a packed Council Chamber on Wednesday evening (15 May).
Cllr Crooks, who took over the Mayoral chains from outgoing Mayor Cllr Martin Petchey, has served as Leader of the Council twice and has accrued more than 25 years’ experience within local government.
The new mayor has chosen two charities to support over the forthcoming year – the YMCA Milton Keynes, which has provided secure accommodation for more than 10,000 local young people since 1980, and the MK Hospital Charity, helping to raise funds for its new Cancer Research Centre.
In his welcoming speech, Cllr Crooks said: “I want to share my huge pride in the wonderful city that we have created and are constantly renewing.
“In less than a hundred years we’ll have gone from the historic small towns and villages of North Bucks to one of England’s top ten cities – truly a triumph for all of us living here.”
Cllr Crooks, who originally came to Milton Keynes to work at the prestigious Open University, is also a magistrate, school governor and trustee of the Parks Trust, the independent charity that cares for over 6,000 acres of parkland and green space in Milton Keynes.
He added: “I delight in the diversity of this city and we’re blessed to have so many different heritages. I ask everyone to share those heritages – we will all be enriched.
“I hope also to work as much as possible with young people and the MK Youth Cabinet – they are our future.”
The new Mayor’s Civic Service will be held at the Church of Christ the Cornerstone on Sunday 14 July.
You can follow the new Mayor of Milton Keynes on Facebook to keep up-to-date with his activities.
