The new mayor of Brighton and Hove was sworn in at the annual council meeting at Hove Town Hall this afternoon (Thursday 22 May).
Labour councillor Amanda Grimshaw, 60, donned the mayoral robe and chains of office and traditional tricorn hat and was piped in after taking over from 64-year-old Mohammed Asaduzzaman, also a Labour councillor.
Councillor Grimshaw was elected by fellow councillors to the ceremonial role in which she is expected to set aside party politics and represent Brighton and Hove as its first citizen.
Among her duties during her term of office, which runs until May next year, will be to chair Brighton and Hove City Council’s full council meetings.
Councillor Grimshaw moved to Brighton as a girl which started “my lifelong love affair with Brighton and Hove”. She said that she was “more enchanted and more in love with this city than ever”.
She said: “To be considered a true Brightonian, it often seems you need to have been born, raised or educated here.”
Councillor Grimshaw detailed some of her own Brighton test criteria as she described her path as a working class woman the mayoralty.
“I’ve worked for Brighton institutions like Legal and General, American Express and the Midland Bank.
“I’ve been eating Uncle Sam’s All Star burgers since 1980. I was a student at Knoll Girls’ School, studied at the Whitehawk Inn and later at the University of Sussex.
“I’ve had loved ones born and passed away at the Royal Sussex County Hospital.
“I’ve paddled in the sea and cursed the pebbles. I’ve spent days out on the Palace Pier and screamed my way through the ghost train. I even got chased by skinheads during the Mod revival.
“Seagulls have stolen my chips more times than I care to admit – and I’ve danced on Sherry’s famous sprung floor.
“I’ve visited the Market Diner at 3am, dazzled by the bright lights after closing time – which was always rather a shock.
“I spent six wonderful fulfilling years working in the Royal Pavilion … and I’ve been a wife and mother to true Brightonians.”
Councillor Grimshaw presented Councillor Asaduzzaman, the outgoing mayor, with a commemorative medal as he returns to his role as one of the ward councillors representing Hollingdean and Fiveways.
Another Labour councillor, Ty Galvin, 85, was elected deputy mayor for the coming municipal year. The retired electrician is the oldest member of the council and represents Hanover and Elm Grove.
Councillor Grimshaw represents Hangleton and Knoll, her childhood stomping ground. One of her fellow ward councillors, John Hewitt, said: “She will be a brilliant first citizen and ambassador of our city.”
She plans to support four mayoral charities – Brighton Women’s Centre, Hove and Adur Sea Cadets, Rockinghorse Children’s Charity and Allsorts Youth Project.
Her chaplain is Father David Hazell, priest in charge of St Helen’s and St Richard’s in her ward.
The mother of four and grandmother of two, who has also served as the council’s armed forces champion, won plaudits from across the chamber.
Despite the warm words for Councillor Grimshaw, the Greens criticised Labour for not rotating the post through other parties as had happened in previous years. But Labour said that it was reflecting the party’s big majority.
Councillor Grimshaw said that she was immensely proud of having become mayor and hoped that her story would inspire other women to fulfil their potential.
She added: “Brighton and Hove is filled with individuals who generously give their time, energy and heart to making our community stronger, fairer and more vibrant for everyone.
“Our city is a shining bright star and I’m blessed to call it home.”
She looks like the Principal boy in a pantomime
Let’s hope she will prove a worthy Mayor with the interests of Brighton and Hove at heart.
There would be screeching from Labour had any other party bucked protocol like that.
Local politics in this town is dirty across all parties.
What protocol has been bucked?
I suspect he’s referring to the convention of rotating political parties as mayor in hung councils. Doesn’t really apply here, though, as Labour has an overwhelming majority this time.
Convention isn’t a protcol though. There is nothing in law that says the Mayorality has to rotate.
Nor in the councils constitution which simply states ‘The Mayor will be elected by Council annually’
An informal agreement to rotate was basically down to the fact that for the last 20 years or so until May 2023 no party ever had a majority and on the whole wthe 3 main groups were fairly evenly matched in sizes.
Such informal agreements exist in councils up and down the land
Absolutely Chris. Completely agree with you.
Sprung floor was Regent Ballroom not Sherry’s.So defo not Brightonian no coconut or cigar.
So no one is ever allowed to mis-remember something?
There’s a great discussion to be held over what a ‘sprung’ dance floor actually is, but they are not considered important now.
The thing about Sherry’s was more about the size of the place. We no longer have dance floors to match the size of that one – or to match the atmosphere you could create, given the layout, and the overlooking balconies.
On topic, being a mayor is actually a hard job, with endless functions to attend, and many hands to shake. So my best wishes to the new mayor and to the outgoing one.
Being mayor is usually an honour bestowed on our long-serving councillors, but it can be an onerous one.