Wandsworth's new Mayor elected

Putney councillor Jim Maddan gets to wear the gold chain

Cllr Maddan, who represents Thamesfield ward, was formally elected by his fellow councillors at the annual council meeting on 17th May 2006..

In his acceptance speech he paid tribute to his predecessor Cllr Diana Whittingham, and said: "I am deeply honoured to have been elected to serve as Mayor for the London Borough of Wandsworth, and I intend to carry out my duties with enthusiasm and zeal. Zeal was the one thing that made Admiral Lord Nelson stand apart from his colleagues. It is an amalgam of energy, commitment and a hunger to get the job done well."

He added: "You will have gathered that I take a great interest in the community, and community safety in particular. Whether it is neighbourhood watch, tackling distraction burglary, schoolboy robberies, junior citizen schemes or whatever, this borough is at the forefront when it comes to support for the community and cannot be faulted.

"I have been very impressed by those local authorities, which have established community safety charitable trusts in their area and I will be using my mayoral year to work with officers and elected members to explore the possibility of setting up such a charitable trust in Wandsworth. If, not when, I achieve that, it will be a lasting legacy of my time as Mayor."

Cllr Maddan was first elected to the council in May 2002 following a long and illustrious career in the Metropolitan Police Service in which he rose to rank of inspector.    He has previously served as the borough's Deputy Mayor and was deputy chairman of the housing overview and scrutiny committee in the most recent administration.

Married with one son, Cllr Maddan is the current chairman of the London Neighbourhood Watch Association. He is also treasurer of the Putney and Wandsworth Crime Prevention Panel, vice-chair of governors of Eastwood Nursery School in Roehampton, chair of the management committee of the Putney Vale Youth Club and is involved with the Duke of Edinburgh's Award Bursary Fund for Wandsworth and Roehampton NEWPIN.

Away from the town hall he enjoys a weekly round of golf and is also interested in genealogy and is currently researching his own and his wife's family tree.

Mayor Maddan with his Mayoress and wife Linda

Cllr Maddan's mayoral charity for the coming 12 months will be The Leonard Cheshire Foundation. His wife Linda is the new Mayoress. Battersea Councillor Tessa Strickland, who represents St Mary's Park ward, will serve as Deputy Mayor. She has served as chairman of the education overview and scrutiny committee and as a member of the early years development and childcare partnership and the Wandsworth schools organisation committee.

May 26, 2006