New Lord Mayor of Bradford is appointed (From Bradford Telegraph and Argus)
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Newly-selected First Citizen of Bradford sets out hopes and aims for year in office
8:00am Tuesday 19th February 2013 in News
By Rhys Thomas, T&A Reporter
Councillor Khadim Hussain is the new Lord Mayor of Bradford
The next Lord Mayor of Bradford has described his appointment as a “tremendous honour”.
Councillor Khadim Hussain was selected for the role of First Citizen by his fellow Labour members on the Bradford Council.
The former engineer and charity worker, now a full-time councillor who represents Keighley Central, said: “This is a tremendous honour and I am looking forward to meeting the challenge.
“The compelling themes of my mayoralty will be the celebration of our diversity, which is such a source of strength to the district, the bringing together of people from different communities and walks of life and the promotion of all that is positive and good about the place we call our home.
“We live in a district that is full of ordinary people doing extraordinary things day in and day out, and I will be meeting and working with people across the board to highlight their achievements and, in doing so, hopefully help to inspire others.”
Coun Hussain, who lives in Keighley, has represented the Keighley Central ward since 2004 and is the deputy chairman of Keighley Area Committee.
He is also an executive member of the Integrated Transport Authority and transport spokesman for Bradford district, as well as being a board member of social housing provider Incommunities.
Coun Hussain, who has been a local magistrate for more than 17 years, became a full-time councillor after a career in engineering and with the Charities Commission. He is married with five children.
The new Deputy Lord Mayor will be Councillor Joanne Dodds (Lab), who is a community worker and has represented Great Horton ward since 2006.
Coun Dodds also represents the Council on the West Yorkshire Fire Authority.
She said: “As a proud Bradfordian I feel an enormous sense of privilege to have been chosen for the position of Deputy Lord Mayor. The Lord Mayor and myself will be unrelenting in our efforts on behalf of the district.”
Councillors Hussain and Dodds will officially take on the civic roles for a year at a mayor-making ceremony traditionally held in May at Bradford City Hall.
They will succeed the 2012/13 Lord Mayor, Councillor Dale Smith and his Deputy Lord Mayor, Councillor Mike Gibbons.
