Councillor Paul Murphy OBE will take up the chains of office when he becomes the new Lord Mayor of Manchester tomorrow.
Councillor Murphy, who was first elected to the council in 1979 representing the Lightbowne ward.
Councillor Murphy was born and educated in Manchester, attending St Dunstan’s Primary and Secondary School before studying at Moston College of Further Education.
Councillor Murphy worked in the Aerospace industry for 40 years. After securing a prestigious AVRO apprenticeship he progressed from craftsman to senior manager, holding a number of positions including working between the UK and USA as Senior Programme Manager for Boeing UK contracts.
A Trade Union activist for many years, Councillor Murphy received national recognition for his work on Health and Safety and was awarded the Bland Payne Award for outstanding contribution to workplace safety.
Councillor Murphy’s first stint at Manchester City Council began in 1979 and lasted nine years. During that time he was Chair of Direct Works and a driving force behind the Association of Direct Labour Organisation (which became the Association of Public Service Excellence).
Councillor Murphy returned to the city council in 1999 and since then has held the roles of Deputy Chair of Finance and Executive Member Direct Services.
In 2000, he joined the Greater Manchester Police Authority serving as Chair of Finance, Deputy Chair and then Chairman of the Authority. He was Deputy Leader of the Labour Group at the National Association of Police Authorities and served on a number of national bodies including the Police Counter Terrorism Board.
Councillor Murphy was awarded an OBE in the New Year Honours List 2012 for his service to Policing.
Lord Mayor of Manchester Councillor Paul Murphy OBE, said: “During my time as a councillor I have had the privilege to work closely with the people of Moston and it will be an honour to continue doing so while also representing the entire city as Lord Mayor.
“Manchester is a city of international repute and I look forward to meeting people from around the globe during my time as Lord Mayor, that said the thing that truly fills me with pride is the chance to represent local residents, they are the true lifeblood of the city.”
Outside of his career in politics Councillor Murphy is a keen angler and has a great interest in Manchester’s history – leading to an exploration of community archaeology which he has been able to purse as a board member of Dig Greater Manchester.
Councillor Murphy is married and has two children and four grandchildren. His wife, Anita, will server as Lady Mayoress during his year in office.
During their time in office both the Lord Mayor and Lady Mayoress aim to raise awareness about health and wellbeing – including physical and mental health and the importance of early diagnosis of illnesses.
