Councillor Danny Rich was officially sworn in as the 61st Mayor of Barnet during the Annual Council Meeting on Tuesday, 20 May, at Hendon Town Hall
Councillor Danny Rich has been officially sworn in as the 61st Mayor of Barnet during the Annual Council Meeting held on Tuesday, 20 May, at Hendon Town Hall.
He succeeds Cllr Tony Vourou as Mayor. Accompanying him in his civic duties will be his wife, Ms Laura Lassman, who will serve as Mayoress. Cllr Edith Ngozi David has been appointed Deputy Mayor, with her husband, Flint David, acting as her escort.
In his acceptance remarks, Cllr Rich expressed both pride and gratitude at being elected to the borough’s highest civic office.
“I am honoured and delighted to have been elected Mayor of the London Borough of Barnet,” he said. “When I moved to Barnet, having spent much of my life south of the Thames, I never imagined this opportunity would arise. But I was inspired to stand for council to support local residents, strengthen voluntary groups, and contribute to our vibrant community—goals I will continue to pursue as Mayor,” he added.
Cllr Rich has chosen Unitas Youth Zone and the Jewish Deaf Association as his official charities for the mayoral year.
Born and raised in South London, Cllr Rich studied politics and modern history at the University of Manchester before training as a rabbi at Leo Baeck College in Finchley. He served for 20 years at Kingston Liberal Synagogue and later as Senior Rabbi and Chief Executive of Liberal Judaism until 2020. He currently serves as Senior Rabbi at Southgate Progressive Synagogue and also works as a magistrate and hospital chaplain.
First elected as a councillor for West Finchley in 2018, he has chaired the Overview and Scrutiny Committee and served on multiple panels, including the Licensing and General Purposes Committee.
With his appointment, Cllr Rich becomes Barnet’s 61st Mayor—a total that includes one previous Mayor who served consecutive terms during the pandemic in 2019–21.
