BOLTON'S Mr Mayor is now a Madam -- and that's official.

When Cllr Prentice Howarth was installed as the borough's Mayor last month, she asked council leaders if the traditional official address of "Mr Mayor" could be changed to Madam Mayor. Now they have agreed.

Cllr Howarth said: "It's something I felt quite strongly about and I made the 'Mr Mayor' point in my inauguration speech. I think a woman mayor should be addressed as Madam Mayor, not Mister."

She added: "The traditionalists may regret it, but really it's only for this year and I'm delighted that the party leaders have agreed.

The reason that "Mr Mayor" became the tradition was that people were regarded as addressing the position of Mayor, rather than the person.

Cllr Howarth said: "I know other councils do use Madam Mayor and when Betty Boothroyd was Speaker of the House of Commons, Mr Speaker became Madam Speaker."

"Bolton Council regards itself as progressive and adaptable, and surely this reflects the times."

Council Leader Cllr Barbara Ronson said she felt sympathetic to the Mayor's request.

She said: "Bolton is proud of its civic history but I don't think something like this detracts at all from that. We're not talking of some momentous change and it does give any future lady mayors the option of how they may want to be addressed. This was simply a preference expressed by the Mayor and I'm delighted that my colleagues have agreed it."