KEIGHLEY’S mayor Peter Corkindale will remain in his post for the second year following the town council’s first virtual mayoral election.

Members meeting online voted for Cllr Corkindale as town mayor, and also elected Cllr Julie Adams as deputy mayor.

Cllr Corkindale has represented Oakworth since 2011, and will serve his second term as mayor following his first election in 2019.

Cllr Adams has represented the Fell Lane and Westburn ward since 2015.

Cllr Peter Corkindale said: “I am delighted to have been asked to serve the people of Keighley as town mayor for a second year. I will do what I can to continue to support everyone across Keighley during these very uncertain times we find ourselves in.

“Whilst most aspects of our lives are on hold, I do hope to be able to celebrate the centenary of our twinning arrangement with Poix Du Nord, France. We are also working on plans to celebrate the exploits of Capt Tom Moore and wonderful frontline workers who’ve kept us all going during this crisis.”

The town mayor has chosen two charities for his mayoral year, Martin House children’s hospice and the Manorlands hospice.

Another town councillor, Clare Abberton, will serve as the mayoress for the forthcoming year.

Cllr Adams said: “I am thrilled to have been elected as deputy town mayor. I look forward to supporting the mayor during the year ahead and working hard on behalf of the people of Keighley.”

Cllr Corkindale was chosen as mayor last year after serving as deputy mayor in 2018. Born in Bingley in 1948, he moved to Keighley in 1953, and has lived in Oakworth since 1974.

Cllr Corkindale was a pupil at the former technical school in Strawberry Street, Keighley. On leaving in 1964, he joined the borough council of Keighley as an apprentice plumber, after which he was self employed until the building trade went through a bad period and – needing a steady income – joined the police force in 1976.

A grandfather, Cllr Corkindale has been a widower since 2010.

Julie Adams originally joined Keighley Town Coun in 2015 when she was co-opted. At the time she said she wanted community involvement and help restore people’s pride in their town.

Cllr Adams also campaigned about speeding drivers and the need for a bigger police presence.

Cllr Adams – known as Julie Jaques until her marriage – was born in Whitby but has lived in Keighley for more than 35 years. She spent her first five years in the town living in Fell Lane.

She used to work for the now defunct Keighley Domestic Violence Forum, helping to turn around the behaviour of perpetrators of domestic violence.

She went on to become a receptionist at Airedale Hospital.