Councillor Linda Bayram has been elected as the new chairman of East Riding of Yorkshire Council following the authority’s annual general meeting.
Councillor Bayram, who has been vice chairman for the last year, has served for nine years as a Conservative councillor representing the Howdenshire ward on East Riding of Yorkshire Council.
A resident of North Cave, Councillor Bayram sits on the council’s children and young people overview and scrutiny sub-committee, the health, care and wellbeing overview and scrutiny sub-committee, and the Licensing Act 2003 committee.
Before being elected to East Riding of Yorkshire Council, Councillor Bayram served on North Cave Parish Council for a number of years, becoming its chairman for three years.
Councillor Bayram was born in Oxfordshire but moved to the East Riding at the age of 19, when her RAF-serving father was stationed at the base at Leconfield.
She worked as a clerk in Barclays Bank in Hull, as a clerk for Thompson’s garage in Hull, before opening her own dress shop in Kirk Ella.
After meeting her soon-to-be-husband Charlie, Councillor Bayram moved to the family farm in North Cave, where she still lives.
As well as helping to run the farm, she juggled selling pet food from the site with becoming a busy mother to three children. She now has four grandchildren.
Looking ahead to her year in office, Councillor Bayram said: “I feel very proud. It’s a big honour to elected chairman.
“While I’ve been serving as the vice chairman, I’ve had the opportunity to visit many events and everyone I met has been so friendly and welcoming, so I’m looking forward to the next year.
“I want to be a great ambassador for the East Riding and its people.”
Her consort will be her husband and former East Riding councillor Charlie Bayram.
Councillor Bayram has chosen to support horticultural charity Mires Beck Nursery in North Cave during her year as chairman for its work and support with children and young people with disabilities and special educational needs.
Councillor Liam Dealtry, independent ward member for Bridlington Central and Old Town, has been elected as vice chairman of the council.
Outgoing chairman Councillor John Whittle served in the role for the past two years and in that time attended more than 300 engagements representing East Riding of Yorkshire Council.
At the council’s annual meeting, council leader Councillor Anne Handley paid tribute to Councillor Whitte for being an ‘outstanding ambassador’ for the council and for his ‘unwavering commitment’.
