Hampstead Garden Suburb councillor John Marshall, who won his first election 40 years ago in Aberdeen and went on to become both an MP and MEP in London, is the new mayor of Barnet. He was elected at the council s annual meeting in Hendon on Tuesday night

Hampstead Garden Suburb councillor John Marshall, who won his first election 40 years ago in Aberdeen and went on to become both an MP and MEP in London, is the new mayor of Barnet.

He was elected at the council's annual meeting in Hendon on Tuesday night, putting the seal at the age of 68 on a distinguished career as an economist and Conservative politician.

The combative Suburb councillor warned rivals that while he recognised that being mayor for a year would mean taking a sabbatical from confrontational politics, he would return to the fray revived and refreshed in a year's time.

Proposing him as mayor, his fellow Suburb representative, Cllr Andrew Harper, said that becoming mayor crowned a distinguished public service career. While retiring mayor Cllr Maureen Braun would be a hard act to follow, Cllr Marshall would ''bring distinction both to the role and to the borough of Barnet''.

Cllr Marshall has appointed Rev Alan Walker, Vicar of St Jude's, as his chaplain for the year.

Cllr Mike Freer was re-elected leader of the council. His proposer, Cllr Brian Coleman, said that Cllr Freer deserved much of the credit for the council's rise in status to a four-star authority. ''In 2002 the council was in dire straits, now it is the voice of the suburbs and at long last the voice of the suburbs is being heard in this city,'' he said.