Two candidates are vying to become the ceremonial mayor of Whitehaven.

A vote will take place tonight with Whitehaven town councillors Michael Guest and Raymond Gill standing for election for the newly-created role.

Whitehaven town council voted in February to change the title of its chair to that of mayor, and the standing chair Mr Guest became mayor at that time.

However, the council’s 11 members will vote tonight at the annual meeting whether Mr Guest (independent) will continue for the forthcoming year or be replaced by his deputy, Mr Gill (Labour).

Conservative councillors Graham Roberts and Brian O’Kane are nominated as deputy mayor.

The new mayor will receive a badge of office tonight, and the town council has applied to Copeland Council for the formal transfer of the robes, mace and chain (worth around £75,000) that the mayor can wear at civic events.

The role of Copeland Council’s ceremonial mayor was ended when the borough’s first elected mayor, Mike Starkie, took up post last May.

Town councils are permitted to have their own mayors – as Millom and Workington do – and the mayoral regalia formerly belonged to Whitehaven Borough Council before a local government reorganisation in 1974 saw the council unify with Ennerdale Rural District Council and Millom Rural District Council to form Copeland.

Mr Gill successfully proposed the change in February.

He said: “This is a much-needed community role. Copeland has a management mayor, not a ceremonial one, and it will be great for our mayor to go to schools and community events to represent the town.”

Councillor Norman Williams said: “Everyone else seems to have a mayor and it would be odd if we didn’t have one,”.

Mr Roberts added: “It would create civic pride; someone to be treasured by the town.”

However, concern was raised by Councillors Carla Arrighi and Jayne Laine about the cost involved.

Mr Gill responded that there will be “no vast expense”. He added: “The days of having a chauffeur-driven mayor are gone.”