History in the making as Kirklees’ youngest ever Mayor takes office

History will be made at Huddersfield Town Hall this month when Cllr Nosheen Dad becomes the new Mayor of Kirklees.

The 34-year-old Labor councilor for Dewsbury South will become Kirklees’ 50th and youngest mayor at the mayoralty ceremony on Wednesday 22 May. She will not only be the youngest, but she will also become the first black woman and the first Muslim woman to fill this role.

The councilor father will be joined by her husband, Shiraz Khan, who will be the mayor’s consort. Councilor Tata, who has chosen Forget Me Not Children’s Hospice as his mayoral charity of the year, said: “Becoming the first citizen of Kirklees is a huge privilege and something I will be immensely proud of.

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“I am truly humbled and honored to be the youngest and first Asian woman mayor of our great district. I hope to amplify the voices of everyone in Kirklees, to celebrate the work and selflessness of people that sometimes goes unnoticed.”

Councilor Liz Smaje (Conservative), who represents the Birstall and Birkenshaw ward, will join the civic team as Deputy Mayor for 2024/25.

During his tenure, the current Mayor of Kirklees, Councilor Cahal Burke, has met hundreds of people and celebrated many unsung heroes of our borough. He paid tribute to those who supported him and thanked everyone he met to see the great work being done in our area.

Cllr Burke said: “It has been a great privilege and a humbling experience for me to be Mayor, especially as Kirklees Council celebrates its 50th anniversary. I want to take this opportunity to personally thank the organizations, groups, volunteers, schools and businesses for giving me the opportunity to see the incredible work they do.

“This was a once in a lifetime experience and I want to thank everyone who made it so special. I want to wish Mayor-designate Cllr Nosheen Dad and Deputy Mayor-designate Cllr Liz Smaje all the best for the year ahead.”

The Mayoral Ceremony will take place at Huddersfield Town Hall at 12.30pm and everyone is welcome to come and watch. Anyone taking part should arrive at Huddersfield Town Hall via Princess Street and be seated by 12.20pm. The ceremony can also be watched live on Youtube.

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