In an unprecedented development, councilor Joe Lobenstein MBE
was reelected Mayor of the London Borough of Hackney for a
fourth consecutive year.
Councilor Lobenstein who is vice chairman of the British
Aguda and vice president of the Union of Orthodox Hebrew
Congregations, has served as a member of the Hackney Borough
Council, which includes the chareidi community of Stamford
Hill, for the past 36 years.
In England mayors of local boroughs are usually elected for
one year only, and it is unprecedented for anyone to have
been elected for three consecutive years.
Hackney has a "hung council" with no party having a
majority.
Councilor Lobenstein's candidacy had the joint support of the
Conservative party which he represents as well as the Labor
party which is the single largest faction in the Council.
In supporting his candidacy, Labor party leader Councilor
Jules Pipe paid tribute to Councilor Lobenstein's long-
standing dedication to public affairs, his fairness in
conducting controversial meetings and his efforts to
establish a peaceful relationship between opposing
parties.
It was announced that the Mayor's Charity Fund had raised
nearly $55,000 during the past two years.
