NEXT week’s “mayor making” at Bradford City Hall has been cancelled - meaning Bradford’s current mayor will have an extra year in office.

The annual general meeting of Bradford Council is usually the biggest Council gathering of the year.

At an event attended by all 90 Councillors, civic dignitaries, family members and even a brass band, the mayoral chains are passed from the previous Lord Mayor to the Lord Mayor for the coming year.

Last year Keighley East Councillor Doreen Lee (Labour) became Lord Mayor at the ceremony.

Due to the Coronavirus pandemic restricting public meetings, next week’s AGM has been cancelled.

And the Council has revealed that Cllr Lee will now remain mayor for an extra year.

Councillor Shabir Hussain - the current Deputy Mayor, will now not become Lord Mayor until May 2021.

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The title of Lord Mayor is a civic one, and although the mayor has no power over Council decision-making, they do act as the figurehead for Bradford.

They attend hundreds of events each year, from shop openings to major fundraisers to memorial ceremonies.

Most recently Cllr Lee laid a wreath at the Bradford City fire memorial in Centenary Square.

And they also raise money for the Lord Mayor’s Charity, with tens of thousands of pounds raised for local good causes each year.

Cllr Lee’s chosen charities were Child Bereavement UK and the Pot of Gold appeal, which provides small grants for smaller groups, organisations and projects locally across the Bradford District.

Cllr Lee says her role since lockdown has mainly been sending voice messages to Bradford residents, and she looks forward to the face to face contact that many took for granted before the pandemic began.

Once the AGM was cancelled, the Telegraph & Argus asked Bradford Council whether arrangements for the Mayor Making would be impacted.

Council spokesperson said: “The Government’s Covid-19 regulations for virtual meetings held by local councils have meant the legislation requiring councils to hold annual meetings has been temporarily lifted. This means that any appointments normally made at AGMs cannot be made.

“The current Lord Mayor Cllr Doreen Lee will stay in office until May 2021.”

Cllr Lee said: “It’s a real honour to be Lord Mayor of Bradford district but of course since the pandemic, the role has changed hugely.

“Instead of going to events, and visiting people in community centres and care homes, I am doing everything virtually.

“This means I send messages on video mostly. This is a shame as I love meeting people face to face and hope for a day soon when I will be able to do so once again.

“Now the term has been extended another year I am hopeful that I will end my term more in the traditional sense but until then I encourage everyone to Stay At Home.”