Harpenden appointed its new mayor during the council’s annual meeting.

Mary Maynard, who previously served as deputy town mayor for last year, said she was “delighted” to take up the new role. 

Councillor Maynard has lived in Harpenden since 1981 and became a town councillor in 2011, where she has served on planning committees, on the Luton Airport Working Group, the Strategic Local Plan Working Group and as Vice Chair of the Policy and Finance Committee.   

As well as her role on the town council, for the last 14 years she has been Chair of SOS Children’s Villages UK, serving as a Senator on the global board for over six years during this period. 

The two charities that she has chosen to support during her year in office are Community Meeting Point Harpenden and Home-Start St Albans City & District.

She said: “My theme for the year is ‘Helping Your Neighbour’.  The charities I have chosen exemplify this both in their work reaching out into the community to people who need help and in their approach which relies heavily on volunteers.

“I am looking forward to fundraising for these two very worthwhile charities and to meeting people in Harpenden as I perform my civic duties throughout the year.  I will work hard to support the community and residents of Harpenden.’


Councillor Brian Ellis was elected as the deputy mayor.