Ealing Town Hall was full of representatives of all faiths on Tuesday to elect the new mayor Councillor Kamaljit Dhindsa.

The Mayor of Ealing for the municipal year 2012/2013 was Councillor Mohammad Aslam. The Deputy Mayor was Councillor Shahbaz Ahmed. The normal practise for a very long time has been that the deputy mayor becomes the Mayor in the next year.

This year, the deputy mayor must have got a very nasty shock. A week before the official appointment, he was informed that he won’t become the Mayor.

On Tuesday Councillor Kamaljit Dhindsa was sworn in as the new Mayor of Ealing for the municipal year 2013/2014. He has represented the Southall Green ward since 2002.

Councillor Tej Ram Bagai was made deputy Mayor.

All party members and leaders thanked Councillor Aslam for his hard work and welcomed Councillor Dhindsa into office.

Councillor Dhindsa said: "I can only say thank you for this unique and special opportunity and I think that you must have got the wrong guy."

During his year in office Councillor Aslam attended more than 450 official engagements and raised approximately £25,000 for his charities.

Councillor Aslam, the first Muslim mayor of Ealing, had a very memorable term as mayor. He served during a year which included the diamond jubilee and the Olympics. His first grandson was also born when he became mayor.

Councillor Aslam had invited Khalifa Tahir Shahib Uddin to the Mayor Making to offer prayers for the outgoing and incoming mayor and all those present.

The Mayor always served an "apprenticeship year" as the deputy Mayor to learn the protocol. It is ironic that Ealing Council is encouraging local businesses to hire a young person as part of its ongoing apprenticeship programme, yet getting rid of their own long established at very short notice and for no valid reason.