Hillingdon has welcomed a new Mayor, following the formal election of Cllr Philip Corthorne at the Council’s Annual General Meeting on Thursday 8 May.
Cllr Corthorne succeeds Cllr Colleen Sullivan as the borough’s first citizen and ceremonial head for the coming year. A long-standing resident of Ruislip and councillor since 1993, he brings decades of experience, having previously served in Hillingdon’s Cabinet overseeing housing, social services and the environment.
As Mayor, Cllr Corthorne will lead civic events, chair full council meetings, and represent the borough at key occasions such as Remembrance Day services and royal visits. He will be supported in his duties by his wife Fiona and daughter Hannah Corthorne and Deputy Mayor Cllr Reeta Chamdal.
His first major engagement will be the Mayor’s Picnic in the Park on Saturday 7 June at Cowley Recreation Ground, celebrating the borough’s Diamond Jubilee.
Cllr Corthorne has pledged to champion volunteering, with a particular focus on encouraging young people to get involved.
The new mayor has chosen two charities to fundraise for during his mayoral year. Those are SEND Family Support, which provides support to those caring for people with special educational needs and disabilities, and the Hillingdon Stroke Support Group. Having suffered a stroke in 2017, Cllr Corthorne has personal experience of having to work to recover his speech, which is part of the work the group undertakes with stroke survivors.
In his leisure time, Cllr Corthorne’s interests include cricket, football and travel. He has four adult children, and a new baby granddaughter called Jemima.
In a statement, he said: “There is so much goodwill and public spiritedness in our borough, and I’d like to harness that to help benefit even more of our communities.
“I’m also keen to help businesses in the borough create even better connections and partnerships with one another, as I see this an opportunity to build on the excellent work already being done. I’m open to suggestions from local businesses and other organisations and keen to hear their ideas.”
