Howard installed as new Lord Mayor

5:32am Tuesday 20th May 2008

Bradford's new Lord Mayor for the civic year was due to be sworn in today at City Hall.

Councillor Howard Middleton, pictured, will be installed and his wife, Colleen, will be the Lady Mayoress.

The pair succeed Councillor Robin Owens and his wife Janet as Lord Mayor and Lady Mayoress of Bradford.

Councillor Hawarun Hussain is to be Deputy Lord Mayor - the first Green councillor to take up a civic role in any metropolitan authority in the country.

Following the mayor-making ceremony, the annual council meeting will continue with the job of appointing a leader of the Council and confirming the membership of the decision-making executive.

It follows local elections this month which saw the Labour group narrowly keep its hold as the largest party.

The group lost three seats in favour of the Conservatives, who now hold 35 to Labour's 36. But the Tories would need the continued backing of the third largest party, the Liberal Democrats, to maintain power and keep the group's leader, Councillor Kris Hopkins, as Council leader.