Chaz Singh announced as Deputy Lord Mayor of Plymouth

Councillor Chaz Singh has been chosen to serve as the Deputy Lord Mayor of Plymouth.

Singh, who will be sworn in May, was chosen for the position by Lord Mayor Mike Wright.

Singh's wife Saranjit Kaur will be taking up the role of Deputy Lady Mayoress.

It has been an eventful year for Singh, who became the city's first Sikh councillor when he was elected to represent Drake ward in 2011.

Singh, who was born and raised in Birmingham, moved to Plymouth in 2002 to run a business and in the last decade, has been actively involved in promoting the city and working in the community. He is a member of FATA HE, an organisation which was established to redress the social and economical inequalities faced by Black and Minority Ethnic (BME) communities in Plymouth.

In an interview with Plymouth Buzz, Singh said being elected as a councillor and now becoming Deputy Lord Mayor were 'the greatest days of my life'.

Plymouth has received bad press in the past 12 months with a number of reported racist attacks on the increase. But Singh hopes his role in public life can help the city become one of tolerance.

"Education is valuable and with some of the work I’ve done I can see the power education has. Plymouth is a diverse city and we need to highlight and showcase the contribution the different communities have made in Plymouth, ensure we are an integrated society and live together harmoniously."