Rosemary Sales, Stamford Hill West ward councillor has been announced as the new Speaker of Hackney.
The role is carried out by a serving councillor who is elected to the office for one year by fellow council members at their annual meeting in May.
The Speaker’s role is to chair full council meetings, attend events, welcome visitors to Hackney and preside over citizenship ceremonies.
Having lived in Hackney for four decades, Sales, a former economics and social policy lecturer and an enthusiastic singer is looking forward to a busy year ahead.
Her top priorities will be fund-raising for the two charities she has chosen - the North London Action for the Homeless and Hackney Migrant Centre - as well as increasing awareness of road safety and cycling and promoting music.
Cllr Sales said: “I feel very privileged to have been elected Speaker. Hackney is a wonderfully diverse borough and I look forward to meeting with communities, organisations and schools across Hackney and to working together to help maintain our traditions of living peacefully and harmoniously together.
Cllr Sales takes the mantle from Cllr Sade Etti. She will be supported this year by the Deputy Speaker, Cllr Soraya Adejare.
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