Hackney Mayor Jules Pipe re-elected as Chair of London Councils

Hackney's elected mayor, Jules Pipe. Photograph: Hackney Council

Hackney Mayor Jules Pipe was re-elected for a fourth term as the chair of cross-party organisation London Councils at the group’s annual general meeting last month.

The former journalist was nominated by Bexley councillor Teresa O’Neill (Con) and faced no opposition for the role – which comes with a remuneration package worth £20,997 per year.

The political leader for the borough of Hackney has been a member of London Councils since 2001 and previously held the role of vice-chair between 2008 and 2010 before being elected to his current role as chair in June 2010.

According to figures on the London Councils website, Mayor Pipe has pocketed a total of £81,220 in remuneration from the lobby group since 2008; claiming £7,811 (2008/09), £10,418 (2009/10) and £20,997 in 2010/11, 2011/12 and 2012/13.

This is a separate payment to the annual allowance of £75,846 Mayor Pipe receives from Hackney Council for his responsibilities as mayor.

Speaking about his re-election as chair of the group, which meets ten times a year, Mayor Jules Pipe said: “With school funding, housing and health and social care high on the agenda, I am very pleased to be re-elected. At this crucial time for the capital, London Councils is making the case to ensure the city is adequately funded.

“Over the coming year, we will continue to ensure London local government’s views are represented.”

London Councils is the representative body for all 32 London boroughs, the City of London, the Mayor’s Office for Policing and Crime and the London Fire and Emergency Planning Authority.

The group is funded by more than £260 million a year from the member organisations. Figures on the Hackney Council website state payments totalling £1.71m were made between April 2012 and March 2013 to London Councils as part of the “partnership agreement”.

Established in 1995 and rebranded in 2006, London Councils is responsible for policies and lobbying on a range of issues from health to planning and housing to crime. The group’s website says the aim of the organisation is to help “make life better for Londoners”.