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The man who won't be mayor
A councillor with a fraud conviction who was controversially made deputy mayor will not become Peterborough's first citizen.
A councillor with a fraud conviction who was controversially made deputy mayor will not become Peterborough's first citizen.There was anger at the appointment of Councillor Gul Nawaz last year because because he had served a one-month prison term in 2002 for his part in a 3,000 benefit fraud.
But the ruling Conservative group went ahead with his appointment despite opponents going to the extent of drawing up a petition against it and calling on Prime Minister Gordon Brown to intervene, which he refused to do.
A Government spokesman pointed out that Cllr Nawaz was not barred from being a councillor as he was sentenced to two months in jail, with one month suspended, when the law lays down a minimum prison term of three months for disqualification to apply.
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Now, as his term as deputy mayor comes to a close, council leader John Peach has told The Evening Telegraph that although no final decision had been made on who will get the honour of becoming the next mayor, it will not be Cllr Nawaz.
Potential candidates
Keith Sharp, independent – has been a councillor since 1982.
Charles Swift, independent – member of the council since 1954. He was mayor of Peterborough between 1961/62 and was made a Freeman of the City on May 14, 1984.
Cllr John Holdich, conservative – first elected 1979. Served as mayor in 1995/96.
Pam Kreling, Conservative – first elected in 1997.
Nick Sandford, Liberal Democrat – first elected 1996.
Past mayors and deputies
2008-9: Mayor Pat Nash, deputy Gul Nawaz.
2007-8: Mayor Marion Todd, deputy Pat Nash.
2006: Following the death of Cllr Horrell, Mayor David Thorpe stood in until Cllr Michael Burton was appointed alongside deputy Marion Todd.
2005: Mayor John Horrell, deputy David Thorpe.
2004-5: Mayor Raja Akhtar, deputy David Over.
2002-3: Mayor Cliff Sneesby, deputy Raja Akhtar.
He denied this was in any way to do with the controversy.
It signals a break with the unwritten tradition which has seen the deputy mayor taking up the mayoral chains of office the following year – which has happened four times in six years.
Cllr Peach said today: "When he (Cllr Nawaz) was first considered for mayor, he made it very plain he didn't want to be mayor.
"A decision hasn't been made, but that is unlikely to change because those were his wishes."
He said an official list of candidates didn't exist but those councillors with the longest service would be more likely to be considered.
He said: "Some members have served a number of years and some of these have been mayor or deputy.
"Others can't for whatever reason, or don't want to.
"But there's nothing been decided yet, no official or unofficial decision."
At a council meeting in March, the chief executive will invite nominations for the mayor elect. But this has no legal standing.
The official announcement will be made at the annual council meeting at the end of May.
Cllr Nawaz said it was too early to comment.
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Saturday 26 May 2012
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