The current Town Mayor of Falmouth is Councillor Alan Rowe.
Councillor Rowe was elected Mayor of Falmouth for 2024/2025 at the Annual Council Meeting on Monday 13 May 2004.
Having served on Falmouth Town Council since May 2021 as a Councillor for Penwerris ward, Councillor Alan Rowe is now the 177th Mayor of Falmouth.
What does a Mayor do?
The Mayor attends civic and ceremonial functions within Falmouth and the wider community during their Mayoral year of office. In their civic (town) role the Mayor meets with individuals and communities to honour them for the contribution to the life of the town and to promote civic (town) pride.
When acting in their role as Mayor the The Town Mayor also acts as Chairman at Full Council meetings and the Annual Town Meeting.
In their role as Chairman of Town Council meetings, the Mayor upholds and interprets the Standing Orders of the Council and ensures that the Council meeting is a forum for the debate of matters of concern to the local community. It is good practice for the chairman to refer to the Town Clerk for advice.
If the Mayor is present at the meeting he or she must preside. If the Mayor is not present, then the Deputy Mayor can preside if chosen to do so by the meeting.
The position of Town Mayor is ceremonial and non-political. It confers no additional advantage on the person who holds the post, other than the honour of representing Falmouth.
The Deputy Mayor will attend functions when the Mayor is unable to do so.
Any candidate for the post of Mayor must be a member of the Town Council.
For more frequently asked questions about the Mayor, please see our Mayor FAQs below.
The Mayor’s Charity
It is usual for The Mayor to raise money for local charities during their term of office. Collections and organised events, such as the Mayor’s Ball, are used to raise money.
The Mayor’s charity for 2023/2024 is The Young Generation, a Falmouth-based award-winning theatre company for young people aged 10-20.
Run entirely by volunteers, the company offers young people age 10 – 20 from Falmouth and the surrounding areas a warm and welcoming environment in which they can learn new skills, make new friends, build confidence and explore their creativity.
Mayor FAQ’s
• Falmouth Town Council elects a Mayor once a year at their Annual Council Meeting in May.
• The election of the Mayor is the first item of business at the Annual Meeting with the election being decided by a majority of members present and voting on the matter at the meeting.
• Any candidate for the post of Mayor must be a member of the Council.
• The Mayor Making ceremony is when The Mayor is officially sworn in. This usually takes place immediately after the Annual Council Meeting at the Princess Pavilion, 41 Melvill Road, TR11
- For more information on inviting the Mayor to your event, please visit our Mayoral Engagements page.
A letter:
• The Worshipful the Town Mayor of Falmouth, Councillor (and their name).
• Then Dear ‘Mr Town Mayor’ or ‘Madam Town Mayor’ in the case of a woman.
A formal letter:
• The Worshipful the Town Mayor of Falmouth Councillor (and their name).
• The Deputy Mayor is not entitled to “The Worshipful”.
Less formal speech:
• Mr Town Mayor or Madam Town Mayor.
It is still the Worshipful the Town Mayor! Think of the office and chain not the person.
• The Mayor’s Consort accompanies and assists the Town Mayor on occasions.
• The Mayor’s Consort should be accorded a similar respect to that of the Town Mayor.
• A Mayor’s Consort has no official title.
• If you want the Mayor to say a few words (make a speech) then the Mayor should speak after the host. This usually makes the Mayor the second speaker.
• The Mayor should be announced, and a formal occasion should have preambles.
• Preambles are a way of acknowledging people in order of their roles
• The Town Mayor will always be the first person mentioned in the preamble unless His Majesty The King or the Lord Lieutenant of Cornwall is present. You do not need to mention the Lady Mayoress in the preamble.
• On such an occasion the order of presentation by the Lord-Lieutenant to the Royal Visitor will normally be:
- Lord Lieutenant and Spouse
- High Sheriff and Spouse
- Chairman of the County Council and Spouse
- County Chief Executive and Spouse
- Chairman of District Council and Spouse
- Mayor and Mayoress and Town Clerk and Lady
- Member of Parliament and Spouse
- Chief Constable and Spouse
• On arrival the Town Mayor (wearing their chain of office) will either have experience of your type of event or will have read the information you will have supplied to the office.
• Either way someone should greet the Town Mayor on arrival.
• The event host should always meet with the Town Mayor.
• You should allocate someone to accompany the Town Mayor during the visit if the event host is otherwise engaged.
• The Town Mayor will be dressed smartly as a mark of respect for invited guests, therefore it is only fitting that you try to reciprocate.
• Not all gentlemen may have a suit but a shirt and tie would be most welcome.
• You will not know unless you ask!
• The Town Mayor usually accepts the first invitation for a particular date providing it is appropriate for the Town Mayor to attend. Therefore it is best to invite the Town Mayor as soon as possible.
• On the right of the host unless His Majesty The King or the Lord-Lieutenant of Cornwall are present.
