Ryde Monktonmead councillor Karen Lucioni is the new mayor of Ryde.
Ryde Town Council elected Cllr Lucioni into the lead municipal role at its meeting on last week (12th May), with Councillor Jessica Higgins voted in as deputy mayor.
Cllr Lucioni, who successful stood for re-election to County Hall as part of the Island Independent Network, replaces outgoing mayor Diana Conyers who was the first woman to hold the position.
The mayor has 2 different roles: leading the council on internal, operational issues and representing it at external events.
After a round of applause, Cllr Lucioni told attendees at 11 St Thomas Square:
“It’s only been 14 years. Thanks very much colleagues, I’m looking forward to this.”
Hailing Cllr Conyers’s term in office, Cllr Ian Stephens said:
“I’d like to thank the outgoing mayor, Diana, and make it known that she’s done a fantastic job of holding the ship on a steady course.
Article continues below this advertisement “You’ve done very well, Diana, and I think we should note that and absolutely say that you’ve done a sterling, fantastic job in holding this team together and I mean both members and staff.”
In an end of year report, Cllr Conyers said serving as mayor has been a ‘great honour’.
She said:
“We held a strategic planning workshop in July last year, which led to a series of discussions culminating in February this year with the publication of an Action Plan for 2026-2027.
“We also had a very successful budget consultation event in December last year, which helped to shape our 2026/27 budget.
“And, with the help of consultants, we have just completed a thorough review of our staffing needs.
“However, it has not been an easy year. This is partly because of external factors.”
Cllr Conyers mentioned ‘further cuts’ in the Isle of Wight Council’s services, again forcing the town council to make ‘difficult choices’.
In addition, she said the Ryde Neighbourhood Board, an independent partnership which earlier this year unveiled a vision to invest £19.5 million of public money in Ryde, has also ‘presented challenges’.
As RTC’s representative on the board, she said she has had not only to ensure the council’s interests are reflected in decisions but also to respond to ‘questions and concerns’ about its operation, raised by councillors and the public.
Councillors Lucioni and Higgins did not respond to questions from the Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS) about their new positions
She successfully stood for re-election to County Hall as part of “the Island Independent Network”
LOL! Network? Her and Jefferies are a “Network”?
Get a grip on the RNB first.