Mayor or not to Mayor

Do ceremonial Mayors have a place in modern world or are they a relic of the past that should be consigned to the history books.

Across the land the chains of the mayor's office clank as new Mayors take office in a yearly ritual of council AGM's.

Most town council in England have a Mayor and some other levels of council shave mayors that are ceremonial in role only not to be confused with the directy elected Mayors that are in effect the leader of councils with powers to make policy and lead councils.

Many of my generation will remember from a young age a children's program that depicted the role of a mayor and how the mayor was a public figure. Yes I am talking Trumpton.

The role of the ceremonial mayor of a council is now one of attending events shaking hands "post covid19" and making speeches but the role holds no powers no to do anything and is not a role that the community has any say in the appointing of the Mayor of their community.

Ceremonial Mayors of councils are appointed by the councillors at the yearly AGM of the council and in most cases are the council chairperson also to oversee the process of the meetings of the council also, but the two roles are totally separate, and the role of ceremonial mayor is a totally non-political role.

The question is does the ceremonial role that is a historical role with no powers to community involved in appointing actually hold any relevance in the modern world we live and should the role be consigned to the history books and the role of the council memebrs be focused on the council business without the pomp and pageantry that goes with the role of Mayor?

Just for the record I fully support the idea and concept of directy elected Mayors for upper tier local government that act to lead the council and are directly elected and accountable to the public as they serve a function of leadership that the community elects to serve.

My thoughts are that the role of a ceremonial Mayor have had their day just like Trumpton town mayor and add no real value to the community and keep the councils with them held back in the post rather than the innovation and empowerment of the 21st Century.

I know some great individuals who have and who do hold the role of Mayor and my thoughts are no reflection on them or the work but on the role that I feel no longer serves a purpose in the modern world.