Mayor announced for Dartford - Councillor Patrick Coleman
The Election of the Worshipful The Mayor of Dartford took place in a formal ceremony at Council Chambers last night.
Councillor Patrick Coleman, The Worshipful the Mayor of the Borough of Dartford was born in London in 1935. From the age of six he was at boarding school through the War Years and then continued his education at a north London secondary school. His banking career was with the then named Midland Bank (now part of HSBC), entering as a junior at the age of 16 and retiring as a manager at the end of 1989. He served all but 40 years in the bank as Cllr Coleman was not accepted for the two year compulsory conscription in 1953 - something about wanting to win the next conflict he suggests!
Cllr Coleman met his wife, Doreen, in 1960 and they were married the following year. They have three daughters and seven grandchildren, six boys and one granddaughter. Mr & Mrs Coleman moved from north London to Sutton-at-Hone in 1963 and remained in the same house since then, holding out through the ‘high speed rail link¹ debacle, although we bade farewell to many good neighbours during that bleak period.
His election to Dartford Council in 1976 was the start of many happy, sometimes frustrating, times. Cllr Coleman served, at sometime, on most committees of the Council, chairing several of them. In 1987/88 he was elected Mayor for the first time. Cllr Coleman comments: “This was a great joy to Doreen and myself as we had supported every Mayor since Councillor Paddy Melvin in 1977 and had a very good idea what being Mayor was all about. A further opportunity arose in 2003/4 to serve the Borough as Mayor once again, Doreen being at my side as Mayoress on each occasion”.
“So, it is with pride and due humility I find my council colleagues prepared to elect me as Mayor for an unprecedented third term, just as I start my 35th year on the Council. Once again, Doreen will be at my side as Mayoress.
We thank all concerned, councillors, officers of the Council and the people of Dartford for allowing us this great privilege, promoting Dartford, its residents and businesses whenever and wherever this Civic Year might take us - with a little help from ourselves”.
You can contact the mayor through:
Mayor's Secretary
Dartford Borough Council
Tel: 01322 343110
Fax: 01322 343660
Email: mayors.assistant@dartford.gov.uk
