THE first ethnic minority Mayor of Basingstoke and Deane was sworn into office last week.

Councillor Dan Putty, a Conserv-ative councillor for Hatch Warren and Beggarwood, was appointed as the borough’s first citizen last Thursday.

The 64-year-old along with the Mayoress – his wife Julie Putty – took over the chains of office from Independent Chineham councillor Martin Biermann and his wife Chansopha.

Past Mayor, Norden Labour councillor George Hood formally proposed Cllr Putty as first citizen. He was seconded by former Conservative leader of the council Cllr Andrew Finney, who in a speech described Cllr Putty as “Mr Community”.

Cllr Putty was born on the island of Mauritius before moving to England in 1970 to study nursing in Basingstoke where he qualified as a mental health nurse.

It was there that he met his wife Julie, a cadet nurse. The couple have two sons, Ryan and Sean, and six grandchildren.

In a long career of public service, Cllr Putty volunteered as a driver for Hampshire social services, and at one point was a member of four school governing boards.

Cllr Putty was appointed as a magistrate in 1987 and is still serving in courts across Hampshire. He has served as a trustee for both King-fisher Housing Association and Sovereign Housing. Today, he is a trustee for the Basingstoke District Sports Trust, Basingstoke Youth Action Trust, and a holding trustee of the Hatch Warren Community Centre.

He has also worked with the Juvenile Justice Unit for more than a decade. The organisation helps young offenders by taking them on outdoor adventure activities.

“Dan’s been a great servant of the community,” said Cllr Finney. “He is dedicated to community service in Hatch Warren. He has campaigned for community services and facilities.

“Young at heart, a great servant to the community, and I am sure he will make an excellent Mayor of Basingstoke and Deane.”

Speaking to the council and dozens of VIPs attending the formal ceremony, who included Lord Portsmouth and the deputy high commissioner of Mauritius, Cllr Putty said he was “honoured” to be nominated for Mayor.

He said: “I am most grateful to the people of Hatch Warren and Beggarwood who have elected me on my journey since 1995 to taking this chair of Mayor and position of first citizen of the borough.”

Cllr Putty’s focus for the year will be business, community and young and elderly people.

Donations to the year-long Mayor’s Charity Appeal will go to North Hampshire respite home The Bluebells run by Sebastian’s Action Trust, and a foundation – The Dan Putty JP Foundation – he has set up under the Hampshire and Isle of Wight Community foundation.

He said the foundation will support smaller community groups and charities struggling for small amounts of cash.

Conservative Roger Gardiner, who represents Pamber and Silchester was nominated and appointed as deputy mayor for 2013-14.