Bromley welcomed a new Mayor into the fold as the council confirmed austerity would continue.

At Bromley Council’s annual meeting last night (May 13) Cllr Kim Botting, who represents Orpington, was elected the new mayor for 2015/16.

She appointed Cllr Alan Collins, who represents Kelsey and Eden Park Ward, as deputy Mayor.

The day marked the end of Cllr Julian Benington, and Cllr Kate Lymer’s time as Mayor and deputy Mayor.

Conservative Cllr Botting, who reached the rank of Chief Inspector in the Metropolitan Police force, was the longest serving female officer in the Met when she retired after 38 years.

She said she was ‘delighted’ to have been chosen, adding: “This is a great Borough and it is an immense privilege to represent it during my Mayoral year.”

The two charities she picked to fundraise for during her term are Connect, which helps people with Aphasia a condition affecting communication centres in the brain.

The second is the National Brain Appeal, which raises funds for the National Hospital of Neurology and Neurosurgery.

MORE TOP STORIES A cause close to her heart, she explained she was diagnosed with a tumour which had ‘wrapped itself around in a mess of tissue’.

Cllr Botting said: “The night before my operation I was told I might be left deaf, dumb, blind, paralysed or dead.”

The mother of four made a full recovery.

In his congratulatory speech, leader of the council Cllr Stephen Carr outlined painful potential cuts to key services which are yet to come.

He called it his ‘no gimmick approach’, which will see many frontline services scrutinised for cost-cutting measures.

Cllr Carr said: “As budgets contract, certain services will inevitably cease.

“We may have to reduce care packages and domiciliary care, consider reductions to our precious environment budget and we must give significant thought to how we get value from our Public Health budget to better reflect our priorities.”

The council already agreed £9 million of cuts for current financial year, but still need to find £50 million in savings over the next four years out of a budget of roughly £200 million.

The council's executive was also elected last night, and the appointments for chairman, vice-chairman and members of the committees also confirmed. 

Two new members were elected to the Conservative’s executive body; Cllr Peter Fortune, who represents Hayes and Coney Hall, is in charge of the education portfolio while Cllr Kate Lymer, who represents Bickley, heads up public protection and safety. 

The rest were re-appointed.