Councillor Phil Hinch is the new – and 678th – Mayor of Hedon!
Councillor Phillip Hinch was revealed as the new Mayor of Hedon last night (22 May 2025) at the Penny Throwing. Providing the ‘pennies’ for the mad scramble is always the first public act of any new Mayor. Councillor Hinch is the 678th Mayor of the ancient town. The Deputy Mayor is Councillor Suzannah Wright.
The Hedon Penny Throwing is one of the most peculiar events in Hedon’s civic calendar. Steeped in history, it is a parody of the days when Hedon was a “rotten borough” with people being offered money to vote for a particular Mayoral candidate in elections.
Following their appointment, the incumbent Mayor would pay off his supporters. Today, the event is purely a family fun occasion with children being thrown pennies by the new Mayor, the town’s civic leaders and their guests.