Cardigan welcomes new mayor, Cllr Sian Maehrlein

This is the woman who goes out of her way to communicate with townspeople on all levels but who also rolls up her sleeves to tackle whatever problems may be affecting the residents.

Last December she was one of a handful of councillors who braved torrential rain and howling gales to help the thousands of people who had been left without water after burst pipes affected their water supplies for a prolonged period.

“Cardigan really is a wonderful place that has enjoyed quite a transformation in the past few years,” she said.

“Dring the ‘70s and ‘80s it was a bustling market town full of life and spark but then things started to go downhill.

"People started commenting that nobody seemed to be doing anything to help pick things up, and I suppose this was when I decided to join the council to see if I could help in any way at all.”

Her decision was also largely the result of former Liberal Democrat town and county councillor Mark Cole’s persuasive powers.

“He nagged and nagged me to join,” she laughs.

“And so I did. And thanks to the work that Mark has done over the years, and all the work that the town council are now doing collectively as a whole, Cardigan has become a really positive town.”

Sian joined the town council in 2017 and then last May was elected onto Ceredigion County Council where she sits as a Liberal Democrat member.

But as she worked towards last year’s election she came close to standing down from local government following the tragic illness and subsequent death of her daughter Kelly, from cancer.

“As Kelly's illness became worse, I decided to give everything up so that I could spend more time with her," she said.

"But she was adamant that I carried on being a councillor. And so Kelly, along with my two other children Zoe and Adam, were my inspiration to continue.”

Last week, unknown to Sian, her Liberal Democrat colleagues on Cardigan Town Council commissioned a new tricorn hat to be made in memory of Kelly which will be worn by Sian throughout her year in office and subsequently by the mayors of Cardigan for many decades to come.

“Seeing that hat for the very first time was so emotional but also so beautiful as it means that Kelly will be part of everything I’m doing as mayor but also part of the town of Cardigan,” said Sian.

Her consort for the year will be her husband David, who is himself a longstanding member of Cardigan Town Council.

The new tricorn which has been donated in memory of Sian and David's daughter, Kelly (Image: Julie John)

If any Cardigan residents have any issues which they would like to share with the mayor, Cllr Sian Maehrlein can be contacted on 07446 057608 or alternatively emailed on maehrlein8@aol.com