PersonGB

Tom Wootton

Directly elected mayor of Bedford.

During 2026, Tom Wootton serves as Bedford Borough's directly elected mayor, leading the council executive and appointing its Cabinet.

Last refreshed: 22 October 2026 · Appears in 1 active topic

Timeline for Tom Wootton

#19 15 Oct

Elected mayor of Bedford

UK Local Elections 2026: Mentioned in: Bedford council set to get commissioners

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Background

Tom Wootton is the Conservative elected mayor and leader of Bedford Borough Council. Before winning the mayoralty on 4 May 2023, he represented Wyboston as a borough councillor. The council's results record his election to that ward in 2019 with 900 votes.

At the 2023 local elections, Wootton was returned both as mayor and as Wyboston councillor. His mayoral victory created a vacancy in the ward despite his 878 votes there. Bedford is one of 16 councils in the country with a directly elected mayor. In the council's June 2026 Cabinet list, Wootton holds the Service Improvement, Inward Investment and Communities portfolio. The same change reduced his executive from ten portfolio holders to eight.

Common Questions

Why could Bedford get commissioners?

Inspectors reported governance and cultural problems requiring external intervention.Source: Lowdown

What does Bedford's mayor do?

The mayor leads the council's executive and appoints its Cabinet.Source: https://www.bedford.gov.uk/your-council/councillors-and-senior-staff/mayor-bedford-borough

Who is Tom Wootton?

He is the directly elected mayor of Bedford Borough.Source: https://www.bedford.gov.uk/your-council/councillors-and-senior-staff/mayor-bedford-borough

Source Material

Local elections, 4 May 2023 Changes made to the Bedford Borough Council cabinet Mayor of Bedford Borough