Havering’s new mayor is cllr Melvin Wallace.

Havering’s new mayor is Cllr Melvin Wallace.

He was elected at the full council meeting last Thursday and is taking over from Cllr Pam Light.

Cllr Wallace, who has been the deputy mayor for the past two years, will put on the mayoral robes and chains to meet Havering residents as the borough’s first citizen. His wife Joan will accompany him as mayoress.

When he donned his robes and chain at the meeting he asked He said: “How does it look? Alright?”

He added: “After being the deputy for two years I’m reminded of what (golfer) Gary Player said when he won the British Open, the more I practise the luckier I get.”

He joined the council in 2006 and said he hoped to give something back to the community in the borough he has lived all his life.

Before his retirement in 2002 Cllr Wallace, whose ward is Mawneys, spent his career working at stockbrokers Cazenove.

He has three daughters and three grandsons.

He said: “I’m very excited and greatly honoured to become the mayor of Havering.

“I’ve been lucky to meet many residents of Havering over the past two years as deputy mayor, so I look forward to seeing more new faces as I represent the borough as mayor.

“I also hope to do all I can to support my chosen charity Saint Francis Hospice.”