THE borough's new mayor expressed his pride at being elected by his peers at a meeting last night.

Monkhams ward councillor Jim O'Shea was formally appointed mayor at the first full council meeting since the election at Ilford Town Hall last night (May 20), while Cllr Ruth Clark was made his deputy.

Mayor O'Shea said: "It is an honour and privilege to be chosen as Mayor for the municipal year 2010-2011.

"Redbridge is a very diverse borough and I look forward to meeting with all groups of the community in the forthcoming year and to raise the profile of the two charities that I am supporting: the Alzheimer’s Society (Redbridge) and the Dream Factory.

"I look forward to working closely with the Mayor’s Charity Appeal Committee in support of these two charities.

“I shall be supported in this task by my wife of 45 years, Mary, and my deputy mayor, Cllr Mrs Ruth Clark."

The council was hung following the May 6 elections, after no parties managed win enough seats to gain overall control.

The Conservatives – the largest group – have made a formal agreement with the Liberal Democrats to run the borough, mirroring the arrangement in Westminster, with Tory leader Cllr Keith Prince continuing as leader, with the Lib Dem's Ian Bond taking over as deputy.

Cllr O'Shea takes over the office of mayor from Cllr Thomas Chan, who was re-elected along with his two Conservative colleagues in Wanstead ward this year.