Gavin Harding

Gavin Nigel Xavier Harding MBE (born 18 March 1974) is a British politician and academic who was mayor of Selby, North Yorkshire, England. He was the first person in the United Kingdom to become mayor while being formally diagnosed as having a learning disability.^[1]

Cllr Gavin Harding MBE
Mayor of Selby
In office 2015–2016
Preceded by	Rosie Corrigan
Succeeded by	Steve Shaw-Wright
Selby Town Councillor for North Ward
Incumbent
Assumed office 2011
Personal details
Born	Gavin Nigel Xavier Harding 18 March 1974 Selby, West Riding of Yorkshire
Political party	Labour
Education	Brayton High School
Alma mater	Selby College

Harding grew up in Selby, and studied at Brayton High School and Selby College. He is a Labour councillor on Selby Town Council having lived in Selby most of his life representing Selby North ward. Harding has now been elected for his 3rd term as a councillor. He founded a self-advocacy group Voices for People and works for NHS England as a senior learning disability advisor.

Harding served as deputy mayor of Selby in 2014 before being appointed mayor the following year.^[1] In 2014, he was awarded an MBE.^[2] He has been part of a committee looking into the progress of Winterbourne View, a private hospital condemned for its abuse of people with learning difficulties.^[3]

In 2019 Harding was included in the Shaw Trust "Power 100" list of the most influential disabled people for that year.^[4]