THE next Mayor of Christchurch will be an Independent councillor, ending uncertainty surrounding the role.

Issues surrounding Christchurch's historic mayoralty arose last week, following the sad death of a Labour candidate in the council ward of North Highcliffe and Walkford.

Richard Walls, who died on Tuesday, May 5, had contested the ward in the Christchurch Borough Council elections.

But the poll was suspended until June 18, following his death.

This means deputy mayor, Cllr Nick Geary, will not be able to be sworn in as Mayor for next year, as he is currently not a councillor.

An extraordinary general meeting, to be held immediately before the annual council, will propose Independent councillor, Fred Neale, as Mayor for this year.

Cllr Neale was due to be made deputy mayor at this year's annual council meeting on Tuesday May 19, but he will skip that role, to take the prestigious title a year early.

He was re-elected to Jumpers ward last Saturday, along with fellow Independent councillor, Colin Bungey.

Cllr Trish Jamieson will become deputy mayor, if approved.

David McIntosh, chief executive of Christchurch Borough Council, said: “This has been a very unusual, and very sad, situation.

"We all understand the reasons for delay in the election in Nick Geary’s ward but I am very grateful to our members for coming up with a solution to the problem so swiftly.

"So long as the proposal on the table is accepted, I look forward to Cllr Fred Neale taking up office.”

It was unlikely an interim Mayor would be elected, due to concerns about the Mayoralty being 'de-valued'.

And last week, current Mayor, Cllr Denise Jones, who was re-elected for Grange ward said she did not want to comment on standing for another year.

Any mayoral candidate has to have been re-elected and served at least four years.

The extraordinary meeting could not be called any earlier as the council would not have known who had been elected until after the count last Saturday.