The mayor

The current mayor is Councillor Barry Panter.

Here is an introduction from Barry: 

My name is Barry Panter and I was born and raised in Bedford from where I left to join the RAF at the age of 19. I travelled the world, visiting some very interesting locations, meeting some very well known people and learning, to some extent; a language or two.

After leaving the RAF, I became a police officer with The South Wales Constabulary, where I served for 23 years. During this time, I got married and became a father to my son and daughter. I received crown court commendations for courageous conduct, plus divisional commendations for community policing and also for dealing with a fatal house fire.

I moved to the North Staffordshire area in 2002 and eventually got married again and have since lived in Madeley until now. I became involved in local affairs/politics first by joining the local residents association, then became a parish councillor and also a school governor.

Eventually, I was elected to Newcastle-under-Lyme Borough Council in 2016, representing the Loggerheads ward, which I still do to this day. I was then elected as Deputy Mayor in May 2024.

My Mayoress will be my wife Beatrice, to whom I have been married since 2005. My chosen charities to support during my mayoral year are Headway North Staffs and also The Salvation Army.

During my  mayoral year I hope to represent the borough and the electorate in as unbiased way as possible.

My personal interests are book collecting and I am an ardent fan of the works of Charles Dickens; plus political and social biographies. I also try to collect model police cars and have so far collected about 160 different ones from all over the world.