Starting strong – Mayor sets out ambitions from day one
Dame Andrea Jenkyns has been sworn in as the first Mayor of Greater Lincolnshire.
A short ceremony in Lincoln Cathedral was held on 6 May 2025, with both Dame Andrea and the interim Chief Operating Officer Lee Sirdifield, signing the paperwork to make the appointment official.
As part of her address and acceptance of office, Dame Andrea said she wanted to invoke the ‘Spirit of Lincolnshire’. She said:
“I am incredibly humbled, and proud to be elected as your Mayor. You have given me this mandate, which I take very seriously. I will ensure that your voice is heard, consult with you on key matters and ensure that Lincolnshire is a thriving place to live, to work, to bring-up our children, and to be the best place to retire and spend our golden days.
“Our transport system across Lincolnshire has never really worked. With my Transport for Greater Lincolnshire Board, we will put together a plan so that you can travel around the county more easily, and make sure that bus services in our rural areas are a lifeline and not a last resort.
“I will work with other Mayors, including closely with Luke Campbell our new Mayor of Hull and East Yorkshire, to ensure that the Humber region thrives and reaches its full potential.
“And I want to work with our farming community to see how, as your Mayor, I can support you, and our Lincolnshire farming industries with the challenges you are facing.
“I want Lincolnshire to be the place where people come to start-up new businesses and invest. And it will be a top priority to work on a programme of support for new business start-ups.
“I want to invoke the Spirit of Lincolnshire, and establish an annual exhibition showcase that is all about Lincolnshire. From our food, our technologies and our services. It will be a platform to seek inward investment and to sell all that is great and good about our county, ensuring that our Lincolnshire brand reaches across the globe and brings in more investment and customers to our businesses.
“We need to build an economy, that is not just reliant on the green industries, but create conditions so new emerging industries can develop. I want to create our very own AI Defence and Security Hub here in Lincolnshire, so we can be key players on the global stage in this sector. I believe this will pay tribute to our county’s historic, and heroic Bomber Command. I also have a plan, to build a ‘Veteran’s Village’. Our veterans fought for us, and it’s time that we fought for them.
“Lastly, I want our children to have the homes and be equipped with skills that set them up for life, so they can have a thriving career ahead of them.
“Now lets do this. Let’s unleash the Spirit of Lincolnshire!”