Islington Council Elects New Lib Dem Mayor

10.40.00am BST (GMT +0100) Thu 15th May 2008

A new Liberal Democrat mayor was sworn in this week at a ceremonial meeting of the council in the Town Hall. Stefan Kasprzyk, a Liberal Democrat councillor from the North of the Borough, donned the robes and chains as Islington's first citizen.

Stefan was born and bred in Islington to Polish parents who settled here after the Second World War. He has been a ward councillor for 6 years, and has enjoyed a career as a BBC Outside Broadcast Senior Engineer in TV and radio. His interests include everything to do with transport and railways, broadcasting and travel.

In his acceptance speech the new Mayor said:

"Islington is a tolerant and diverse community with a unique mix of ethnicities and backgrounds. As Mayor I want us to celebrate this, and remember that even as people worry about community relations in London - here in Islington we have a proud history of tolerance. In the general election of 1892 the people of Finsbury elected the Liberal party candidate as Britain's first ever Asian MP. Now I'm proud to be elected as the borough's first Mayor of Polish descent."

The new Mayor on the Regent's Canal

Stefan announced that he would be supporting two charities during his Mayoral year: The Angel Community Canalboat Trust and the Islington Boat Club. These two organisations will be working together for this year as 'Islington Kids Afloat'.

He said:

"These charities provide positive activities for young people from right across the borough, including people from up in Archway where I live. They give something fun for young people to do on the water - but more importantly than this, they impart important lessons about responsibility and teamwork. These young people gain confidence and learn about themselves, other people, and their environment, and learn what it means to be part of a team. This council has spent the last year looking closely at provision for young people and at how to keep them safe. These charities are giving training opportunities and promoting exactly the right lessons for young people."