Agenda item

To receive notice from the Mayor regarding the appointment of a Councillor of the Borough to be Deputy Mayor, in accordance with Standing Order 27(b).

Councillor Hack, as newly appointed Mayor, thanked members for his nomination and appointment as Mayor.  He then announced the appointment of Councillor Kathleen Fraser to serve as Deputy Mayor for the 2025 - 2026 Municipal Year.

At this stage in proceedings the Mayors Chain of Office and robes were exchanged between the outgoing and newly appointed Mayor.

Councillor Hack then formally returned thanks for his appointment.  Starting by welcoming all guests, he highlighted his pride and personal honour in being nominated as Mayor and thanked all members for their trust, confidence and faith in appointing him to take on the role as first citizen of the borough.

Highlighting the privilege he felt in being appointed as Mayor, Councillor Hack began by outlining his family history and welcoming his great grandparents as guests.  Expressing pride at his strong Irish heritage, Councillor Hack advised he had lived in Brent all his life, having studied at Preston Park Primary School Claremont High School and then St Dominic’s Sixth Form College with his family’s first home being a council property in Harlesden prior to them settling in Neasden.  Referring to growing up in Brent, he outlined the strong sense of community and compassion he had experienced involving people from all walks of life which he hoped to be able to replicate during his time as Mayor.

Paying tribute to his family and mother Councillor Hack advised that, as a result of the support he had received, he had been the first person in his family to attend university where he had graduated with a Masters Degree from University College London. Whilst being the youngest Mayor in Brent’s history, he hoped his story and journey in terms of perseverance over struggle and hardship along with similar experiences shared by many other across Brent would help to provide a sense of hope and aspiration to future generations.

Since being elected to serve on the Council, Councillor Hack advised that he had sought to use the platform to coordinate and campaign for improvements for many causes including residents access to food, mostly in areas of deprivation, which he advised had included working to open and support community kitchens as well as surplus food markets in order to support significant numbers of residents across Brent.

Councillor Hack then outlined the aims for his Mayoralty in terms of continuing to support the Council’s overall vision and objectives.  In this role he advised that he also intended to support the Brent Irish Advisory Service (BIAS) which had been formed in 1978 in response to the welfare needs of the Irish community and continued to work to improve the well-being of the Irish community across North London and beyond.  Highlighting comments recently made by Colum Maloney, as one of the founders of BIAS and first Irish Mayor of Brent, as part of the St Patricks Day celebration at the Learie Constantine Centre, he supported the description of Brent being a borough “united as one”, which he also believed represented the aspirations of those who had worked so hard to achieve the creation of Brent as a borough back in April 1965.  Highlighting the important work undertaken through the Advisory Service he hoped all members would support him with his fund raising efforts during his year in office.

Highlighting his commitment and focus on the future driven by the belief that better days were ahead, Councillor Hack advised of the intention to use his role as Mayor to celebrate Brent as a welcoming borough bursting with pride, culture and diversity as well as to continue his support for refugees and those families seeking asylum particularly those living in temporary accommodation often with no access to their own kitchen facilities.  This included work he had undertaken with a local community activist named Matilda in South Kilburn to expand the “In the Mix” social hub which provided support for refugees and asylum seekers in coming together to cook and socialise with the local community.  As a result, he was proud to advise that the food provided for the reception following the Mayor Making ceremony had been prepared by the same organisation with the principle that “everyone was welcome at our table” felt to reflect modern Brent with its rich and diverse mixture of communities, nationalities and opportunities.

Recognising the effort required to ensure the aspirations and opportunities outlined were also delivered for the next generation, Councillor Hack advised he was keen to use his time in office to support and encourage the work already being undertaken across neighbourhoods throughout the borough building on the success achieved by many communities in creating safe sanctuary within the borough from Ealing Road to “Little Brazil” in Willesden (areas recognised for their creativity and commerce) and Kilburn & Cricklewood Broadway.  Taken together he felt the rich tapestry of different communities and faiths living side by side within the borough represented a spirit that was stronger than ever, including the tranquillity of areas such as Barnhill Pond and Mapesbury Dell, the volunteers supporting work to maintain the boroughs parks, green spaces and waterways, members of the local community supporting foodbanks, teachers running breakfast clubs alongside the cultural offer available through venues such as the Kiln Theatre and reggae singers from the BBMC family.

Reflecting on the goodness, justice and talent he felt was demonstrated by so many across the borough, the Mayor ended by taking the opportunity to once again thank his family and wider community for their support over the coming year and by once again highlighting how proud he was to have been elected as Brent’s First Citizen with Brent identified as a beacon of hope and his intention to continue using the role to support the work being undertaken by communities across the borough in a renewal of friendship.