Cllr Jeff Green has been elected as Wirral's Civic Mayor and has pledged to do all he can to make the council as open and transparent as possible.

Cllr Green, who was first elected to Wirral Council in 1986, has been a Conservative councillor for 36 years. Making his first speech as Civic Mayor, a position with ceremonial functions which is not the same as council leader, Cllr Green said he was delighted to welcome people back to Wallasey Town Hall for the first meeting at the venue since the pandemic began.

Wirral Council's meetings have taken place at New Brighton's Floral Pavilion since in-person meetings were resumed last year as pandemic rules eased. Tonight's meeting saw the return of council business to Wallasey Town Hall.

Given the role of Civic Mayor can be one many do not understand, Cllr Green said it involved chairing council meetings, representing Wirral in functions and engagements and forging international links.

Cllr Green said the role also involved supporting investment in the borough and its regeneration, as well as supporting businesses and entrepreneurs and serving the people of Wirral.

He also pledged to do all he could within the structures of the constitution to make sure the council can be as open and transparent as possible.

Cllr Green succeeded Labour councillor George Davies as Civic Mayor. Reflecting on his time in the role, Cllr Davies said it was a year he will never forget. He added it was an honour and the "greatest privilege" to represent Wirral as Mayor.

Tonight's meeting also saw the election of Labour councillor Jerry Williams as Deputy Civic Mayor. It was also the first part of Wirral Council's Annual Meeting.

The second part, set to take place next Wednesday at Wallasey Town Hall at 6pm, will see the election of the council leader. It could be a tense vote, as Labour lost two seats to the Greens and one to the Conservatives in the local elections earlier this month, leaving the party on just 26 of Wirral's 66 seats.

That is well short of a majority and just two ahead of the Conservatives, despite Labour increasing its share of the vote across the borough compared to last year's elections. All of this could put Cllr Janette Williamson's leadership of the council in jeopardy, yet the Labour councillor remains in pole position to retain control of the local authority.