Karen Lucioni Elected As New Mayor Of Ryde

Ryde Monktonmead councillor Karen Lucioni has been elected as the new Mayor of Ryde.

Ryde Town Council voted Cllr Lucioni into the role at a meeting on Tuesday, with Cllr Jessica Higgins elected as deputy mayor.

Cllr Lucioni, who was recently re-elected to the Isle of Wight Council as part of the Island Independent Network, succeeds outgoing mayor Diana Conyers — the first woman to hold the position.

Following her appointment at the council’s offices in St Thomas Square, Cllr Lucioni told attendees:

“It’s only been 14 years. Thanks very much colleagues, I’m looking forward to this.”

Paying tribute to Cllr Conyers’ time in office, councillor Ian Stephens said she had done a “fantastic job” steering the council through a challenging year.

In an end-of-year report, Cllr Conyers described serving as mayor as a “great honour”.

She highlighted progress including the publication of a new Action Plan for 2026-27, a public budget consultation event and a review of the council’s staffing needs.

However, she said the year had also brought challenges, including further cuts to Isle of Wight Council services and issues surrounding the Ryde Neighbourhood Board, which earlier this year unveiled plans for £19.5million of investment in the town.

Cllrs Lucioni and Higgins did not respond to requests for comment about their new positions.