A new mayor has been elected for Brighton and Hove. Councillor Lynda Hyde, 67, was voted in unopposed and unanimously by fellow members of Brighton and Hove City Council this afternoon (Thursday 21 May).
Councillor Hyde, the former chairman of the council’s Planning Committee, has also served as one of the three Conservative members for Rottingdean Coastal ward for 16 years.
As mayor she will be expected to be neutral and put her party allegiance to one side.
She succeeds Councillor Brian Fitch, who retired as the Labour member for Hangleton and Knoll at the local elections earlier this month.
Green leader Councillor Phélim Mac Cafferty paid a generous and good-humoured tribute to her at the mayor-making at the annual council this afternoon, even though he acknowledged they rarely see eye to eye.
When she became mayor-elect, Councillor Hyde, who was born in Brighton, said: “I’m very grateful, very honoured and I’m delighted that I’ve been selected to serve this fantastic city of Brighton and Hove.
“You will be such a hard act to follow, Mr Mayor, but I’ll do my best.”
Today she paid tribute to the outgoing mayor and mayoress and said that she looked for ward to meeting all sections of the community in Brighton, Hove and Portslade. She said that there was nowhere better in Britain.
Councillor Pete West, the first Green to be elected to the council in Brighton, nearly 20 years ago, was elected unopposed as deputy mayor.
There is surprise that, at the ceremony, cllr Morgan merely seconded Lynda Hyde’s appointment. This was graceless – and a contrast with cllr Mac Cafferty’s speech.
A Council Leader should riff speeches when needed.