North Richmond representative, Councillor Celia Hodges, will become the new mayor later this month, it was revealed last week.

At a meeting of Richmond Council on April 21 it was announced Coun Hodges, who was deputy mayor in 2006-07, would take over the role on May 19 when the term of current incumbent, Councillor Helen Lee-Parsons, ends.

Coun Hodges, who has named Councillor Ben Khosa as her deputy, said she was delighted her nomination was accepted and has already chosen her charities – Spear, which works with homeless people in and around Richmond, and the River Thames Boat Project, which helps people access the river for social, leisure and educational activities on board its boat Richmond Venturer.

She said she was delighted to support those charities and was ready for the challenge of being the borough’s first citizen.

“I was deputy a couple of years ago when [Coun] Bill Treble was mayor,” she explained. “I put my name forward for this year and was delighted to be chosen.

“Being deputy I found I learned so much about what happens in the borough.

“I am also looking forward to renewing old acquaintances.

“I know Ben Khosa pretty well and am looking forward to working with him, it’s good he is from the other side of the Thames too.

“I am not sure what will be the biggest challenge, chairing the council meetings or keeping my allotment going.”

Councillor Serge Lourie, leader of Richmond Council, said: “I am delighted Celia Hodges has been chosen as mayor, she is a very hard working councillor for North Richmond and an assiduous chairman of governors at Darell Primary School.

“She is an ardent allotmenteer and fits in very well with the council’s environmental posture.

“Ben Khosa will add a great deal to the mayoral team.

“He has been a champion for business and I am sure he will continue to champion business during the recession.”