Barry Town Council welcomes new Mayor of Barry

BARRY TOWN COUNCIL WELCOMES NEW MAYOR FOR 2024/25

Councillor Catherine Iannucci-Williams became the Mayor of Barry for 2024/25 at Barry Town Council’s Annual General Meeting on Monday 13 May 2024. Councillor Catherine Iannucci-Williams was nominated by Councillor Helen Payne and seconded by Councillor Ewan Goodjohn, with all present council members unanimously agreeing on appointing Councillor Catherine Iannucci-Williams as the new Mayor of Barry.

The Mayor of Barry for municipal year 2023/24 was Councillor Ian Johnson, who spoke on the evening about what a great pleasure and honour it had been to be the Mayor of Barry for 2023/24. At the start of his year, he had said that he wanted to promote the arts, culture and heritage of the town – it was therefore wonderful that Barry Town Council were able to support events such as Gwyl Fach y Fro and also put on events such as Halloween and St David’s Day. Councillor Ian Johnson’s charities for the year were 2Wish and Mind in the Vale.

Councillor Catherine Iannucci-Williams takes the reigns from Councillor Ian Johnson, in the traditional Mayor Making Ceremony held at Cemetery Approach Community Centre. The ceremony includes the Mayor’s Mace Bearer escorting the Mayor and Chief Officer into the meeting and taking up the role of protector, dedications are also made from the new Mayor of Barry and the Deputy Mayor.

Councillor Catherine Iannucci-Williams has been a Town Councillor since 2022 and is a Cadoc Ward Councillor. Councillor Iannucci-Williams has been raised in Barry and attended Romilly Primary School and Bryn Hafren Comprehensive School (Now Pencoedtre High). Being 28 years old, Councillor Catherine Iannucci-Williams will be the youngest Barry Town Mayor to date.

Speaking to councillors and guests at the Mayor Making event, Councillor Iannucci-Williams said;

“Thank you all for coming today, diolch i chi gyd am ddod heddiw. I’ll keep this short and sweet because I know that everyone has got their eye on the buffet. It’s a huge honour to have been elected as the Mayor this evening, and thank you to Helen for that introduction.”
“I’m really looking forward to spending this year getting to see all the ways our community groups and volunteers are looking out for each other and all trying to make our town a better and kinder place to live. Looking after each other is something that my charities for this year really embody, and I’m really pleased that they’ll be the Vale Foodbank and Shua (Safe House for Unwanted Animals).”The Mayor of Barry is accompanied by their consort, with Councillor Catherine Iannucci-Williams choosing her husband Owen Iannucci-Williams her consort for municipal year 2024/25.
The Deputy Mayor of Barry for municipal year 2024/25 is Councillor Dennis Clarke who was nominated by Councillor Johnson and seconded by Councillor S Hodges.
“Cllr Dennis Clarke has had a long and distinguished career as a solicitor, with more than forty years’ experience, specialising in legal aid cases. Dennis is a school governor at Cadoxton Primary School, a trustee for learning disability charity, Advocacy Matters Wales, and an environmental campaigner who has led the fight against the Barry Incinerator as a member of DIAG, the Docks Incinerator Action Group.”