First female mayor ever represents Oldham – and her deputy is a woman too!

Oldham is to get its first-ever female mayor  – and will be joined by another female councillor as her deputy to make it a historic double.

Councillor Ginny Alexander will take over as the mayor of Oldham alongside Councillor Jenny Harrison.

Ginny said: “I am incredibly excited about becoming the next mayor of Oldham – and it is equally brilliant that my good friend, Jenny, will be deputy mayor at the same time.”

Ginny and Jenny teamed up with Arooj Shah, council deputy leader, for a symbolic picture taken at the town hall beside the statue of suffragette Annie Kennedy.

Congrats to my colleague & friend @cllrjennyoldham on being elected as Deputy Mayor @OldhamCouncil . Honoured to be her consort with @ShaidMushtaq . That’s what Oldham is about #unitedoldham pic.twitter.com/fq4RcYzuav

— Zahid Chauhan (@ChauhanZahid) May 22, 2019

Ginny added: “It is just another positive sign of the changing times that we will have two women as Mayor and Deputy Mayor for the first time, and I am sure that Annie Kenney herself would have approved”.

Ginny, 63, was born and raised in Glodwick and has represented St James ward since 2014. Husband Adrian will support her by being her consort, using his knowledge from his previous counselling career.

Jenny, 71, said: “It is such a huge honour to be selected to serve the wonderful people of Oldham in this way – I never expected it.

“I am genuinely humbled and I am looking forward to supporting Ginny, who I know will be an outstanding Mayor for the borough.”

Councillor Shah, the council’s first female deputy leader of Asian heritage, added:  “I just cannot think of two people better to represent our borough.

“Both of these ladies are amazing role models. I am certain the public will love them and that they will be fantastic ambassadors everywhere they go during the next year.”