News / bristol city council
Acting lord mayor named as councillor remains in hospital
A temporary lord mayor of Bristol will be appointed next week as councillor Paul Goggin continues his recovery from a serious health condition.
Fellow Labour councillor Steve Pearce will become acting lord mayor for three months.
Goggin last month revealed that he developed pleurisy – inflammation of the lining of the lung – following a bout of pneumonia in June and had been placed into a medically induced coma for a month.
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Steve Pearce represents St George Central and is leader of the Labour group – photo: Bristol Labour
The Hartcliffe & Withywood ward member remains in intensive care at the Bristol Royal Infirmary and is undergoing physiotherapy and speech therapy as part of his long rehab to walk and talk again.
Labour group leader councillor Pearce, who has announced he is standing down from representing St George Central after 10 years at next May’s local elections, will be appointed at an extraordinary full council meeting of Bristol City Council on Tuesday, May 10.
A report to councillors said: “The lord mayor is currently unable to discharge his duties due to poor health.
“The appointment of an acting lord mayor will enable the lord mayor sufficient time to recover.”
It said Pearce would receive a special responsibility allowance on a pro-rata basis – about £5,000 – for the role, which is largely ceremonial but includes chairing full council meetings.
Main photo: Bristol Design
Read next:
- Lord mayor reveals medically induced coma
- Another cabinet member to leave City Hall
- Council chief exec’s contract extended to oversee move to committees
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