Councillor Nancy Baldwin has been elected as the new Mayor of Richmond Council, with Councillor Matthew Wherry appointed as Deputy Mayor. The appointments were confirmed at the Council meeting held on Tuesday, 19 May 2026.
Councillor Baldwin, who is serving her second term as Mayor, expressed her honour at being re-elected. I am extremely honoured to be the mayor for a second time, which, as you all know, is very unusual,
she stated. This marks a rare occasion in the council's history, though Councillor Baldwin noted that her previous term was also unusual as it was cut short by a pandemic.
Councillor Penelope Frost, the outgoing Mayor, reflected on her year in office, describing it as an absolutely amazing year
and enormous fun.
She highlighted her participation in getting on for 300 events,
noting that the team hardly turned down an event.
A significant moment during her tenure was the reaffirmation of twinning vows with Fontainebleau and Comme Champs. Councillor Frost thanked her deputy, her daughter Rebecca who served as consort, and the mayoral team for their support. She also humorously mentioned a challenge faced when losing their driver at the end of the reaffirmation event, necessitating the use of taxis for a period.
Councillor Baldwin announced her husband, Adrian Conduit, as her consort. The role of the consort appears to be that of a companion and support during mayoral duties, with Councillor Frost's consort, Rebecca, having developed a skill for running raffles.
The meeting agenda and reports can be found on the council's website: Agenda frontsheet and Public reports pack.