SEATS were rearranged at Hammersmith and Fulham Council as the borough gained a new leader, two new cabinet members and a new mayor.
At a full council meeting last Wednesday, Nick Botterill took up the mantle of leader from Stephen Greenhalgh, who departs to become London's new deputy mayor for policing.
Mr Botterill introduced two new members to the cabinet - Marcus Ginn, of Palace Riverside ward, as community care leader, and Victoria Brocklebank-Fowler, of Fulham Broadway ward, as transport and technical services leader. They replace councillor Harry Phibbs and councillor Joe Carlebach.
Praise was heaped upon the outgoing leader.
Mr Botterill said: "I am truly honoured to have been selected as the leader of the council and to follow on from Stephen Greenhalgh. Stephen is a class act and he leaves extremely big boots to fill and I'll try my very best to do that.
"He's achieved so much in six years, putting Hammersmith and Fulham on the map for his innovative and radical thinking in local government as well as establishing us as the example for local councils in Britain. I know he's going off to higher things but I know our loss will be the Met Police's gain."
Kind words also came from Mr Greenhalgh's political adversary, Labour opposition leader Stephen Cowan.
He said that despite their political differences, there had always remained a mutual respect and that Mr Greenhalgh would be remembered as a 'remarkable leader of the administration' for implementing the tri-borough initiative and cutting council tax.
Councillor Belinda Donovan was also elected as mayor, succeeding Councillor Frances Stainton, who will now act as the deputy mayor.
Cllr Donovan's two chosen charities are the Mayhew Animal Home in Kensal Green, which looks after unwanted and abandoned animals, and West London Action for Children who offers a range of counselling and therapy services for children in need.
Addressing the council chamber, she said: "My real enthusiasm is for reducing crime, and my charities are linked to this - the Mayhew Animal Home helps rehabilitate and re-home former fighting dogs who have been mistreated or abandoned by their owners, while just one aspect of the work of West London Action for Children is to help children and families experiencing domestic violence."
She also took the opportunity to pay tribute to her brother Will, a borough resident who died of malignant melanoma in 2003 at the age of 43.
She added: "I know he will be with me in spirit at all of the engagements I attend during this next year."
