COUNCILLORS used the first meeting of the year to pay tribute for former Lord Mayor Abid Hussain, who died on Christmas Eve.

Cllr Hussain, a Labour Councillor for the Keighley Central ward and Lord Mayor of Bradford in 2017/18, died of Covid 19, and his funeral was held on Christmas Day.

At a meeting of the Council's Executive yesterday, Leader Susan Hinchcliffe gave an update on how the Covid 19 pandemic was hitting the District.

She said there had been 780 Covid 19 deaths in Bradford since the beginning of March.

That means that roughly one in every 688 residents of the District has died due to Covid in the past 10 months. 

Cllr Hinchcliffe said: "With these numbers it means we all know someone who has been lost to Covid, or been seriously ill from it.

"Included in that is Abid Hussain, our friend and colleague.

"I want to express how sad we all our for his loss.

"Abid was always busy and seemed fit and healthy. it was a shock to all of us to lose him.

Former Bradford Lord Mayor Abid Hussain dies from Covid-19

"He was always willing to help all the time, day or night. He loved being mayor and loved bringing people together. You never saw him angry. He was always calm and always impeccably dressed.

"He was very proud to be a Councillor, and was very proud to represent Keighley. He was a model for us all to follow.

"Personally I will miss him very much indeed."

Conservative Leader on the Council Rebecca Poulsen added: "It was a shock to us all."

Cllr Hussain was born in Mirpur in Pakistan and moved to the UK in 1971, at the age of 12, with his family. He was educated at Greenhead Grammar School in Keighley.

He became a Bradford Councillor in 2010.

During his time as Lord Mayor he raised thousands of pounds for the Down Syndrome Training and Support Services in Bingley and the Wishing Well Appeal through his Lord Mayor's Appeal.