HYDE councillor Betty Affleck will be the Civic Mayor of Tameside during the borough’s Golden Jubilee year.
Tameside Council has confirmed the Godley ward councillor will take over the chain from Councillor Tafheen Sharif at the local authority’s annual meeting on May 21.
She will become the 49th person to have the honour of being mayor bestowed upon them, stretching back to James Eason, who was elected in 1974 – the year the borough was founded.
Cllr Affleck, who is the current Deputy Mayor, was born in Dublin but moved to Hyde as a child.
A councillor since 2015, she is chair of the south strategic neighbourhood forum and a member of speakers panel (planning), Hyde Accelerator Town Centre Delivery Group, and Hyde War Memorial Trust.
A retired catering manager, Cllr Affleck’s interests include cooking for friends and family, going for long walks and researching her family history.
Cllr Affleck says she is “delighted” to have been asked to serve and represent the borough.
“I am especially proud to be following in my dad Joe Fitzpatrick’s footsteps, and to wearing the chain he proudly wore in 1987,” she commented.
“I know it will be an extremely busy 12 months but I’m sure that with my brother Declan – who has agreed to be by my side as my consort, wearing the chain worn by my mother Rose – it will be a very rewarding year. I’m really looking forward to it.
“I’m especially keen to work with as many community groups and schools as possible. I also want to meet volunteers of all ages.”
Cllr Affleck’s chosen charities are Friends of Tameside Young Carers; The Shed, which works with men who would otherwise be isolated; and East Manchester Community Boat Project which is based at Portland Basin.
The Civic Mayor’s chaplain will be the Rev Robert Balfour, from Hyde Methodists.
Cllr Shibley Alam, who represents Hyde Werneth, will be the new Deputy Mayor of Tameside.