Civic Protocol

The correct style for the Lord Mayor in writing is The Right Worshipful the Lord Mayor of Bradford. When starting your letter you should use My dear Lord Mayor.

The Deputy Lord Mayor, though entitled to expect the same dignity as the Lord Mayor when undertaking official duties on his/her behalf, is not accorded the title The Right Worshipful.

Verbally, in formal situations, the style is My Lord Mayor though in less formal circumstances it is quite correct when referring to the Civic Heads or introducing them to use simply Lord Mayor and Lady Mayoress. Similarly, Deputy Lord Mayor is the correct oral style for the Deputy Lord Mayor.

In accordance with the Local Government Act 1972, the Lord Mayor shall have precedence in the Bradford Metropolitan District, but not so as to prejudicially affect Her Majesty’s Royal Prerogative. In practical terms this means that the Lord Mayor is accorded the status of the district’s first citizen, only ceding this in the presence of the Sovereign or his/her representative (ie Her Majesty’s Lord-Lieutenant for the County).

Accordingly, the place reserved for the Lord Mayor should be on the immediate right, and for the Lady Mayoress on the immediate left, of the person presiding at a function – for example on the top table at a dinner.

The Lady Mayoress accompanies and assists the Lord Mayor in undertaking official duties. The title has no inclusion in speech preambles but should be accorded a similar respect to that of the Lord Mayor. Please note that a female Lord Mayor is not known as a Lady Mayoress: a Lord Mayor can be either a male or a female Councillor.

When a female occupies the position of Lord Mayor, it is sometimes the case that this support role is fulfilled by a gentleman – in which case this person is normally known as the Lord Mayor’s Consort. This also applies if the Deputy Lord Mayor is a woman and has, for example, her husband in the support role.