Ex deputy commissioner to represent the city
A FORMER West Midlands deputy police and crime commissioner has been appointed as lord mayor of Birmingham.
Cllr Yvonne Mosquito, who has represented Nechells for the last 22 years, was described as a “fearless champion of the underdog”.
She was welcomed with enthusiasm by all sides of the council chamber in a ceremony at Birmingham’s Council House on Tuesday.
The only previous black woman to hold the post of lord mayor, Cllr Sybil Spence, made the official nomination.
She said: “Yvonne is a fearless champion of the underdog. She has fought for those who appear to have no support. Those held back by the system. And she has suffered for it.”
She also received support from Conservative group leader Robert Alden who she has jokingly referred to as her ‘adopted son’.
She said she wanted to represent all of Birmingham’s diverse communities and “empower people by opening proverbial doors”.
Cllr Mosquito’s proud family and supporters joined the newly elected councillors, former lord mayors and honorary aldermen for the ceremony.
Cllr Mosquito was a replacement for former councillor Lynda Clinton, who had been the lord mayor elect until she lost her council seat in the recent local election.
Two years ago Cllr Mosquito left the role of deputy police commissioner under a cloud following suspension after visiting the family of a murdered teenager during an inquiry. A legal dispute over her departure was settled out of court.
Asked to comment on that experience she merely replied “that’s politics” and that she had moved on to her new non-political role.
Retiring lord mayor Anne Underwood was praised for her year which included giving posthumous Freedom of the City to the 21 Birmingham Pub Bombing victims and representing Birmingham at the Commonwealth Games in the Gold Coast.