City's new Lord Mayor announced

The new Lord Mayor Designate for 2017/18 has been announced for Plymouth.

Councillor Wendy Foster has been a Plymstock Radford ward councillor since 2000 and was Lady Mayoress in 2009/10 when her husband Councillor Ken Foster was Lord Mayor.

Councillor Foster was born in Stoke, Devonport and worked as a secretary for the Ambulance Officer of Plymouth before training as a nurse. She married first husband Michael Ford and moved to Birmingham and then Essex. They had three children together before Michael sadly died while Councillor Foster was pregnant with their fourth child and she then moved back to Plymouth with her children Natalie, Cheryl, Graham and Michael. She met Councillor Ken Foster through the Cruse bereavement charity and they married in 1982. Wendy is also on the Executive of the South West Conservative Association.

Councillor Foster said: “As a Plymothian I am honoured and proud to be asked to be the next Lord Mayor of Plymouth. I have served as a councillor for 17 years and then as a Lady Mayoress when my husband Ken was Lord Mayor so I am really excited to get the chance to be Lord Mayor.

“I look forward to meeting many of you in the community, especially those who work so tirelessly for our city in voluntary organisations and charity groups. You are very much appreciated.

Current Lord Mayor Councillor Pauline Murphy said: “Being Lord Mayor is an honour and a privilege and I wish Councillor Wendy Foster all the best for when she takes on the new role."

Councillor Wendy Foster will take over as Lord Mayor from Councillor Pauline Murphy in May 2017.