Here she is, Cllr Ruth Malloy, truly elected and transformed into the 799th Mayor of the City of Bath.
It all happened this morning in Bath Abbey in front of a crowd of dignitaries, fellow mayors from neighbouring towns, friends, fellow councillors and a smattering of citizens.
My calling it ‘Mayor Making’ actually infers it is more ‘sexy’ than it really is.
What we are actually witnessing is the annual meeting of the Charter Trustees. It is from their number that the next First Citizen ( for a year) is chosen.
They are the 28 councillors representing city wards and technically ‘guardians’ of all the royal charters Bath has received, dating back to Elizabeth the First.
I have attended quite a few of these events over the years, but it is the first one in which the ‘outgoing Mayor’ was mentioned in ‘apologies for absence’ and not there at the head of the procession from the Guildhall.
For those who still don’t know, the 798th Mayor of Bath, Cllr Dr Bharat Pankhania, resigned from office three months ago.
He had been suspended from his party following his reposting of antisemitic conspiracy theories on social media, following the attack on ambulances belonging to a Jewish charity in London.
Cllr Pankhania – a councillor for Combe Down – has already publicly stated that he made an error in retweeting the antisemitic comments online and has apologised ‘profusely’ for his actions and deleted the posts.
In his absence, the Deputy Mayor, Cllr Ian Halsall, took up the reins as ‘acting mayor’ and it was he who led the civic procession on the short journey from our ‘City Hall’ to our parish church – and then chaired the AGM.
I have previewed this event and made clear that everyone is welcome to come and witness the changeover from one mayor to another. Still, somehow it never appears to be the most popular ‘must-do’ for locals on a Saturday morning.
The crowd that gathered on the High Street in front of the Guildhall this morning had been attracted by the air cadet’s band and the uniformed ‘guard of honour’ on the newly repaired Guildhall steps.
I did hear mutterings that they ‘must be expecting a Royal’ – though one person got it almost right – telling her mate that they were electing a new Lord Mayor!
It’s the old TV presenter in me, I know, but I do feel they should have someone telling people what is going on and inviting them to the Abbey.
The same goes for the ceremony itself. All that rigid AGM stuff is just boring. Having said that, I must make a big ‘shout-out’ to members of the City of Bath Brass Band, who entertained us all while the new mayor went off to be clothed in her ceremonial robes.
Before I introduce you to the new Ambassador for the City – and her Deputy – here’s a look at the procession itself. A touch of living history takes to the streets.
Now for the official part.
Councillor Ruth Malloy takes up the role as 799th Mayor of Bath. She was first elected as a Liberal Democrat Bath & North East Somerset Councillor in 2019, representing Weston Ward, and re-elected for a second term in 2023. She was Deputy Mayor in 2024/25.
She is interested in local history, World Heritage matters, international relations, and cultural life – especially libraries and museums.
In her acceptance speech, she said her ‘theme for the year’ would be the 3 ‘C’s – Community, Culture and Curiosity.
Ruth’s younger daughter, Lydia Malloy, who is studying Acoustical Engineering at Southampton University, will support her as Mayoress during the year.
Councillor Onkar Saini is the new Deputy Mayor of the City. He was elected to represent residents in Combe Down Ward in 2023 and is also a Liberal Democrat.
He takes great pride in contributing to the City’s civic and community life and helping ensure Bath remains a welcoming and vibrant place for all.
His working background is in Computer Applications and International Business. Professionally, Onkar works across the South West of England in the retail and property management sector.
Onkar is married to Priya Kumari, who is now Deputy Mayoress.
Now we must wonder – though not before letting Ruth enjoy her year in office – who is waiting in line for next year’s Charter Trustee AGM when Bath will see its 800th mayor take to the civic stage!!
