THE Borough of Erewash has a new mayor.
Conservative councillor for Wilsthorpe, Kewal Athwal (pictured) became the first Erewash mayor to be elected by a casting vote at the meeting at Long Eaton Town Hall.
The borough council was split with 25 votes for Mr Athwal and 25 for Labour's Councillor Frank Phillips, who represents Ilkeston.
It was down to the outgoing mayor, Councillor Val Clare, to use her casting vote to elect Mr Athwal to be the civic leader of the 51-seat authority.
Mr Athwal is the first mayor from an ethnic minority group to hold the position.
Born into a Sikh family in the Punjab area near the city of Jalandhar in India, Mr Athwal moved to the UK in 1961.
His career has been mainly in two industries, the motor trade and textiles.
He started on the shop floor of both industries and progressed to senior managerial roles.
He now owns his own ladies' fashion accessories business based in Long Eaton.
The new deputy mayor is Councillor Valerie Custance.
