AN EXPERIENCED councillor admits she has got a “hard act to follow” after being made the new mayor of Brighton and Hove.

Long-serving Conservative councillor Lynda Hyde will follow in the footsteps of charismatic two-time mayor Brian Fitch after being formally elected into the role.

Coun Hyde said she was “absolutely delighted” to be taking on the mayoral robes after 16 years as a councillor.

The Argus Appeal, The Martlets Hospice and the Grace Eyre Foundation have been named as the Rottingdean Coastal councillor’s three nominated charities.

And she will be able to turn to former councillor Fitch for advice after including him on her fundraising committee along with Antonia Shepherd from The Martlets and restaurant owners Karl Jones from Moshimo and Sue Addis of Donatello and Pinocchio.

Coun Hyde’s first official engagement will be on Saturday when she attends the reopening of the Lizard Boating Station in Portslade and Mile Oak FC’s presentation dinner.

But she has already been able to enjoy the benefits of the role having attended the Queen’s Garden Party as mayoral representative at Buckingham Palace on Wednesday, along with the Queen, the Duke of Edinburgh, Prince Andrew and 8,000 invited guests.

The formal swearing in of Coun Hyde as mayor was held in Brighton Town Hall this afternoon and was followed by a reception at the Royal Pavilion.

She will be assisted by deputy mayor Pete West, who took up the position after the Green Party’s original nomination Geoffrey Bowden lost his seat at this month’s election.

Warren Morgan was confirmed as council leader with Gill Mitchell as his deputy while Conservative group leader Geoffrey Theobald was confirmed as opposition leader.

The allocation of the 110 positions on the council’s 18 committees and boards between the three parties was also confirmed.

A number of Coun Hyde’s family travelled from far and wide to see the ceremony, including a granddaughter who flew in from Spain, a son and grandson arriving from Lincolnshire, sister and family from Oxford as well two daughters and their families living locally.

Speaking to The Argus, Coun Hyde said she would be using the role to highlight and celebrate the role of volunteers as well as visitING schools to impress upon young people the importance of setting their minds to achieving their goals.

She added: “When I was elected 16 years ago I did think to myself how marvellous if I could have been mayor.

“I’m Brighton born and bred and I’m just honoured and delighted to become mayor.

“Brian will certainly be a hard act to follow but I have been to a lot of mayoral events and I was involved with [previous mayor] Denise Cobb’s fundraising committee so I have learnt a lot about how to make fundraising work for the benefit of the charities.”

Departing mayor Brian Fitch stands down from the role, and from 38 years in local politics, after raising £52,000 for The Argus Appeal, The Martlets Hospice and Brighton Housing Trust.

The mayoralty held 64 receptions in the parlour and council chamber for 2,000 people and attended around 500 events.

He said that it had been a controversial year after proposals to cut the mayor’s staffing but said he was “really pleased” that the council had voted against those cuts.

He also paid tribute to his wife and “love of my life” Norah Fitch for her support throughout a “fantastic year”.