Councillor Mike Hallam appointed new Mayor of Northampton

New mayor pledges to celebrate community “unsung heroes” and support local charity through 463-mile cycle challenge

Kehinde Taiwo | Tuesday 19th May 2026 4:56pm

Councillor Mike Hallam has officially become the 786^th Mayor of Northampton following the town's annual Mayor Making Ceremony at the Guildhall on Monday evening (May 18).

The ceremony, organised by Northampton Town Council, saw Councillor Hallam formally take office alongside his wife, Shannon, who will serve as Mayoress for the coming year. Councillor Enam Haque and his wife Thahrima were appointed Deputy Mayor and Mayoress at the same ceremony.

Councillor Hallam, who represents the Parklands ward, has served as a town councillor since the creation of Northampton Town Council in 2021. He has previously held positions on Northamptonshire County Council, Northampton Borough Council and West Northamptonshire Council.

Speaking after the ceremony, Councillor Hallam said he was “honoured” to take the role and looks forward to recognising the work of local charities, volunteers and community organisations around the town.

“During our year as Mayor and Mayoress, Shannon and I are looking forward to meeting as many community groups, individuals, sports teams and charities as possible, to celebrate the unsung heroes who give countless hours to make a positive impact in the town," he said.

The mayor also announced that his chosen charity for the year will be The McCarthy-Dixon Foundation, a Northamptonshire-based organisation supporting people facing hardship, poverty and isolation.

Founded in 2020, the charity works with schools, community groups and local organisations across the county, providing emergency food parcels, wellbeing support and social programmes for vulnerable families and individuals.

As part of the fundraising efforts, Councillor Hallam will take part in the charity’s Belmullet to Northampton Cycle Challenge in August, a journey of 463 miles (745km), passing through Castle Coote in County Roscommon, Ireland, where members of his family still live.

“While the challenge is daunting, I’m really excited to step out of my comfort zone,” Councillor Hallam said. “Seeing my cousins back in Ireland as we cycle through the village will be a really special day.”

Born and raised in Northampton, Councillor Hallam attended Parklands Lower and Middle schools before graduating from the University of Northampton with a degree in History. He currently works for a Canadian IT Company.

Both Councillor Hallam and his wife Shannon come from Irish family backgrounds. Councillor Hallam’s relatives emigrated from County Roscommon to Northampton in the 1940s, while Shannon’s family originated from County Clare.

The ceremony also paid tribute to outgoing Mayor, Councillor Jane Birch and her husband Toby, who attended nearly 300 civic engagements during their term.

The role of Mayor of Northampton dates back more than 800 years. The first recorded Mayor was William Tilly in 1215, although the town's civic leadership can be traced to 1189, when King Richard I granted Northampton the right to elect a “Reeve” to oversee local administration.

Photo credit: Northampton Town Council/Stu Vincent Photography

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