IRANIAN-born Nader Fekri has become the new Mayor of Calderdale.
He took over from Keith Watson at yesterday’s annual meeting of Calderdale Council.
Councillor Fekri’s wife, Helen, is the new Mayoress of Calderdale and Coun Peter Wardhaugh is the new Deputy Mayor.
At the civic ceremony in Halifax Town Hall, Coun Fekri said it was his intention to help promote and celebrate Calderdale communities and their achievements.
“This is a strong, vibrant and diverse area which experience has shown goes out of its way to be welcoming to newcomers,” he said.
Nader Fekri came to England with his family in 1968, when he was eight.
His father was a navy engineer and he went to school in Fareham.
When they returned to Iran it was during the period which saw the end of the Shah and the return from exile of Ayatollah Khomeini.
Councillor Fekri came back to Manchester to study for degrees in social sciences, Labour history and politics, and moved with his family to Hebden Bridge in 2002.
