Councillor Mohammed Tahir Rafiq elected as the new Mayor of Bury

Unsworth Councillor Mohammed Tahir Rafiq has been sworn in as the Mayor of Bury for the new municipal year (2026/27).

He took over the chains of office from Besses Councillor Noel Bayley at the annual meeting of Bury Council yesterday (Wed 20 May).

Councillor Mohammed Tahir Rafiq was born at Hillingdon Hospital in Middlesex and grew up in Stoke-on-Trent, where he attended school and college. His parents settled in the United Kingdom after migrating from the village of Chattroh in Dadyal, District Mirpur, Azad Kashmir, Pakistan, in the early 1960s. The Mayor is married and has seven children — four daughters and three sons.

The Mayor became involved in local politics at an early stage in his life, inspired by his neighbour and Stoke Central Labour MP, who sadly passed away in late 2025.

He was first elected to Bury Council as a Labour Councillor for Unsworth Ward in 2018 and immediately went on to serve as Secretary of the Bury Labour Group. He was re-elected in 2022 and 2023 and continues to serve the residents of Unsworth Ward with dedication and passion.

The Mayor has also previously served as Chair of the Bury Labour Group, Chair of the Licensing and Safety Committee, and, most recently, as Executive Cabinet Member for Corporate Affairs and Human Resources, including Adult Services, from May 2020 to May 2025. In May 2025, he assumed the role of Deputy Mayor of the Metropolitan Borough of Bury. He has also served on several committees, including Planning and Overview & Scrutiny.

In addition to his council duties, he is a Governor and Vice-Chair at Hollins Grundy Primary School and has also served as a governor at another primary school within the borough. His other appointments include serving as a trustee of two Whitefield trust funds and Treasurer of the Friends of Chaddy Field community group. Outside his civic responsibilities, he is also involved in advocacy work supporting the Kashmir cause.

As Mayor, Councillor Mohammed Tahir Rafiq, represents all communities across the borough, this year’s Mayoral Chaplains will include representatives from different faiths on a rotational basis.

He will be supported by his two Mayoresses- Manzoor Bibi (his wife) and Nisa Tahir Rafiq (his daughter).

The Mayor’s chosen charities for the year will include Bury Blind Society and Bury Hospice, alongside other charitable causes.

The Mayor, said: “I have lived in Bury for most of my adult life, and it is the honour of my life and a great privilege to serve as Mayor of the Metropolitan Borough of Bury for the 2026/27 mayoral year. I am looking forward to a busy and rewarding year, meeting many people from across the borough, including our young people and children.”

At the meeting, members also voted to install Cllr Mike Smith, who represents the Radcliffe West ward, as deputy mayor for the coming year.

Medallions were also presented to the outgoing mayor in recognition of the service he has given.

ENDS

The Annual Meeting of the Council set out the political leadership for the coming municipal year.

It saw the appointment of members of the Cabinet and the appointment of members of the statutory committees such as Licensing and Planning and select representatives to external committees and organisations.

The new Cabinet is listed below.