Meet the new Lord Mayor of York (From York Press)

Meet the new Lord Mayor of York

9:00am Friday 25th May 2012 in News By Kate Liptrot, kate.liptrot@thepress.co.uk

Updated: THE new Lord Mayor of York paraded through the city’s streets after being formally appointed to the role at a ceremony in the Guildhall.

Coun Keith Hyman, a Liberal Democrat councillor who represents Huntington and New Earswick, said he was especially honoured to be taking on the role as York celebrates 800 years as a self-governing city, the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee, the Olympics and as York City move into the football league.

He has taken over civic duties from Coun David Horton, who has helped to raise £56,400 for chosen charities York Against Cancer and York Mind.

After the Guildhall ceremony, the new civic party and councillors paraded through the city centre, accompanied by the York Waits and the York Guard, stopping in Parliament Street where chief executive of the council, Kersten England read a proclamation and the party went on to lunch at the Merchant Adventurers’ Hall.

Speaking at the Guildhall ceremony Coun Hyman, whose wife, Karen, will be the Lady Mayoress, said: “It fills me with great pride and great trepidation “I hope I can fulfill the role in a manner befitting the honour.”

Coun Hyman said he hoped to be a positive figurehead for the city as someone who started life on a council estate and as York’s first mayor from a “non-white background” – his mother is originally from Cape Town, South Africa.

He named his charities as the Special Olympics City of York, a group of sports clubs in York which support athletes with learning disabilities to train and take part in competitions, and the Soldiers’, Sailors’, Airmen and Families’ Association (SSAFA) Forces Help, which gives help to anyone from current and former service personnel and their families.

Haxby and Wigginton councillor Paul Firth was also named as Sheriff for the year, his wife, Jenny, will be Sheriff’s lady.

• The new mayor and deputy mayor of the borough of Scarborough have been sworn in.

Councillor Helen Mallory became the new mayor at yesterday’s annual meeting at Scarborough Town Hall, while her daughter, Lucy, 25, became the youngest mayoress the borough has ever had. The new deputy mayor will be Coun Andrew Backhouse and his wife, Sue, the deputy mayoress.