The Lord Mayor of Nottingham is a largely ceremonial role for the city of Nottingham, England. The position was historically Mayor of Nottingham; this was changed to Lord Mayor in 1928. The position is elected every May by Nottingham city councillors at their annual council meeting.
The post of Mayor of Nottingham was created in the Charter of Edward I approved on 12 February 1284.
The title was changed to Lord Mayor of Nottingham by Letters Patent, announced by King George V on 10 July 1928, at the opening of the new University College at Highfields. The first holder of the title was the Mayor for the current year, Alderman Edmund Huntsman.
Contrary to popular belief, the Mayoral status was unaffected when Nottingham achieved city status during the Diamond Jubilee of Queen Victoria in June 1897. The bestowing of City status is normally a separate issue to the rank of the Mayor concerned. In fact, there is only one case of a Borough being given City status and its Mayor being elevated to Lord Mayor at the same time – this occurred with Cardiff in 1905. It has recently (i.e. since 2002) become the established rule that newly created cities should wait for an interval of at least 10 years before making an application for a Lord Mayoralty.
After City status had been awarded, Nottingham applied (unsuccessfully) for a Lord Mayor in 1911 (marking the Coronation of King George V), and to mark Royal visits in both 1914 and 1919.
Traditionally the Mayor of Nottingham was elected in a ceremony in St. Mary's Church, Nottingham. Although the election no longer happens in the church, a civic service is held there each year to mark the Lord Mayor's appointment.
Some of the duties of the Lord Mayor include being a champion of the city and attending official events. The role also includes supporting up to 3 charities and presenting the Lord Mayor's Awards for Urban Design.