The Role of Mayor
The origin of the office of the Mayor goes back to the days when Mayors had
much wider authority and power than they do today. Elected Mayors are in charge
in some Councils but the role of the Mayor in Bexley is that of a Civic Mayor.
The importance of the position is widely recognised and it is the highest
office that the residents of Bexley, through their elected representatives, can
confer on a Member of the Council. The Mayor must be non-political and must be
seen to represent every section of the community regardless of political persuasion.
The Mayor is the Borough's First Citizen and represents Bexley at over 500
events, both inside and outside the Borough, during the year, as well as chairing
Council Meetings and the Civic Recognition Panel.
Within the Borough, the Mayor takes precedence over everyone apart from a
member of the Royal Family or the Lord Lieutenant of London.
 The
Coat of Arms
The coat of arms for the London Borough of Bexley was drawn up by the College
of Arms on the amalgamation of the old boroughs of Bexley, Erith and the urban
district councils of Crayford, part of Chislehurst and Sidcup in 1965.
The design includes components from the arms of constituent authorities and
represents various aspect of borough life, geographically and historically.
The blue wavy lines which are coloured alternatively blue and white symbolise
the rivers Thames, Cray and Shuttle which flow through the Borough. The oak tree
is taken from the arms of Bexley and is coloured green with a brown trunk, representing
the charter given to the area in 1937.
The cog wheel refers to the industrial side of the borough and is red.
The turreted gateway refers to the borough being the gateway
to Kent and the south. The white horse, the emblem of the county of Kent, was
common to Bexley, Erith and Crayford. Both are coloured white. The wreath is
gold and red.
The red stags with the golden antlers come from the crest of
Erith where they were a connection with Lord Eardley of Belvedere House.
The motto on the coat of arms 'Boldly and Rightly' was
taken from that adopted by the former authority of Crayford.
The coat of arms may be seen on the Council's buildings,
vehicles and publications and may only be reproduced by permission of the Council.
 The
Mace
The mace is unique in design. It is shaped in the form of a battle axe, thus
reviving the concept of the one time use of a mace, as a fighting weapon of war.
Made of silver and silver gilt, it is 1.2 metres long with the borough coat
of arms on each side of the axe. The head is embossed with the royal coat of
arms, representing the royal authority. Its contemporary appearance is appropriate
to a new borough in the modern age and is keeping with the times. |
