Annual General Meeting of the Council
At the Council's Annual General Meeting on Thursday May 22 2008, the Council made the following appointments:
- Cllr Sheila Smith-Pryor was elected as Mayor
- Cllr Anna Mbachu was appointed as Deputy Mayor
The Mayor, Cllr Sheila Smith-Pryor
Councillor Smith-Pryor was elected Mayor by Council at the Annual Meeting held on Thursday, 22 May, 2008.
Born in Cookstown, Co.Tyrone, and growing up in Co.Kerry, she moved to Waltham Forest in November, 1962, to be a student nurse at Whipps Cross Hospital. She has lived and worked in the Borough since then.
Councillor Smith-Pryor has always had an interest in the life of the Borough and is actively involved in its Catholic community. She takes an active part in fundraising for different charities and hospices and is particularly involved with the Chingford "Across" Group. This group assists ill and disabled people who cannot travel any other way, to visit the Shrine of our Lady at Lourdes.
She is also an active organiser of the Whipps Cross Nurses Association. This association, amongst other things, organises a reunion of nurses who have worked at the Hospital and is Borough-wide.
Councillor Smith-Pryor has been active in the trade union movement for a number of years, being an advocate for the health service, particularly in the Borough. She is passionate about retaining Whips Cross Hospital as fully functioning district hospital for the people of the Borough.
Her interests in politics became heightened following her eldest son's efforts to become elected as a Councillor. Tragically, shortly after he tried, albeit unsuccessfully, to be elected, John Gregory died in a motorbike accident. This event spurred her on to stand herself and she was successfully elected as a Liberal Democrat Councillor in May, 2006, representing Hale End and Highhams Park Ward.
Last year’s Deputy Mayor, Councillor Smith-Pryor said on her election, "I am delighted and honoured to be elected Mayor for the Municipal Year 2008/09. I am looking forward to serving the people of the Borough as much as I can.
“I am also looking forward to working with my chosen charities – Branches Night Shelter, and MS Action, both based in Walthamstow.
“Branches provides a night shelter, meals and showers for homeless people in the borough. MS Action offers high pressure oxygen treatment for people with MS. It has no NHS funding and 1hour costs £10. There are only four in the UK and this one is the only one in the country that treats children with cerebral palsy.
“I hope I can make a real difference to these important organisations.”
Contact us
To contact the Mayor's Office please use the details below. More information about the Mayor's Team can be found here.
You can also use our general feedback form. Please state when submitting this form that the information is for the attention of the Mayor's Office.
Mayor's Office
Waltham Forest Town
Hall
Forest Road
Walthamstow E17 4JF
Tel
020 8496 4399
Email mayor@walthamforest.gov.uk
