As a Councillor the Mayor will be well versed in the art of public speaking. At many engagements the Mayor will be requested to say something. This can range from proposing a toast to a full speech. Some organisations will send information about what they would like you to say, some will not. Information sent can vary from a full speech to notes to be included in your own speech. The Mayor must realise that this information is only there to help prepare a speech. There will be occasions when the Mayor will be asked to say a few words with little or no notice at all. The Mayoral Staff will try to ensure that the Mayor is aware prior to an engagement whether they will be asked to speak or not, although this may not always be possible.
The Mayor may wish to give some thought to his Inaugural Speech. It is usual to announce the charity and therefore can be important to mention main themes that he would like to pursue during the term of office. The Mayoral Secretary can provide previous inaugural speeches to assist the incoming Mayor.
You don’t need many words to say important things – the Lord’s Prayer is only 70 words long whilst the E.C. Regulations on the production of cucumbers is several thousand.
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