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Former council worker all set to become mayor
New mayor: Councillor Helen Lee-Parsons
New mayor: Councillor Helen Lee-Parsons

The borough's first citizen is set to be female for the first time in three years after a former council worker was nominated for the post.

Councillor Helen Lee- Parsons, who represents West Twickenham on Richmond Council, is due to be elected as the borough's mayor at the annual ceremony at York House on May 20, succeeding Coun Marc Cranfield-Adams.

Coun Lee-Parsons, who worked in the travel industry before taking a position at Richmond Council working with people with learning disabilities, is the first female Mayor since 2004/05 when Coun Pat Parsons held the position.

She was first elected to the council in 2006 having been a governor at Waldegrave School, on the committee of Brunswick Youth Club and the Richmond and Twickenham Health Council, a tutor at Richmond College of Further Education and chair of the Leesons residents' association in West Twickenham.

The mother-of-three, who has chosen St Margarets and North Twickenham representative Coun Geoff Acton as her deputy mayor, has announced she will support three charities - React, a national charity for children with life-limiting illnesses, Richmond Homes for Life Trust, which provides residential homes and other services for people with learning disabilities, and The Alzheimer's Society.

Coun Lee-Parsons said she was thrilled to be proposed for the position and wanted to promote greater unity and partnership working in the community.

"There are so many voluntary organisations working to improve the quality of people's lives and I will use my mayoralty to encourage ever stronger links between them, the council and local businesses," she added.

8:22am Wednesday 14th May 2008

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Posted by: A proper journalist, London on 2:26pm Fri 16 May 08
"The borough's first citizen is set to be female for the first time in three years after a former council worker was nominated for the post."

Is this the worst intro ever written? Comments below please:
Posted by: Tom on 3:16pm Fri 16 May 08
How about 'Eastenders Star's boyfriend charged with murder'. The level of 'Star' was she had played Cindy Beale's sister in a maximum of six episodes
Posted by: Jill, London on 11:05pm Fri 16 May 08
Yes - it's a bad intro, but there are probably other contenders for 'worst intro ever'!

It's breathless, the syntax is wrong, and it requires too much effort to understand what are simple statements!

Using the same words - but in another order - how about - For the first time in three years the borough has a female Mayor. Former council worker etc.

Posted by: A fellow journo, London on 11:18pm Fri 16 May 08
Jill's is better. But let's face it, the 'three years' point is hardly going to hook the reader in whatever happens.
Posted by: Jill, London on 11:30pm Fri 16 May 08
"A fellow journo" - I would suggest if you are local, the fact we are having the first female mayor in three years has resonance.

From the 'hooking the reader' aspect, I agree it fails. However, without being rude, the whole article isn't well written. It's as if Chris Wickham was in a rush, and resorted to 'listing' which is boring to read. This might also explain that breathless first sentence!
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