Hamilton: ‘I will my duty’

Instead, the new Deputy Mayor said that as the Mayor had received his chain of office from the Town Clerk, she wanted the same, stressing that “no snub was intended”.

In a statement yesterday, Tuesday morning, Mrs Hamilton said: “I was led to understand before the meeting on Monday night that the chain of office for the Mayor and Deputy Mayor would be presented by the Town Clerk, Sharon O’Connor, and I wanted the same treatment as the Mayor, who received his from the Town Clerk.

“I had talked to the Town Clerk before the meeting and that is what I understood was happening. The last time I was Deputy Mayor the then Town Clerk was the person who put the chain on me, but when I went up to receive the chain the Mayor had it and I simply said I would like the Town Clerk to put it on me. This has been blown out of proportion. What is the difference between me and the Mayor? None. I simply wanted to receive my chain of office in the same way as the Mayor. I was not making any statement by asking for the Town Clerk to present me with the chain,” Mrs Hamilton said.

Despite the initial hiccup, Mrs Hamilton went on to vow to serve the city.

“As Deputy Mayor of the City I will work for every citizen and will fulfil my duty. The term of office takes me into the first half of the UK City of Culture and I will do my duties as I have done in the past in my other two terms of office,” she said.

“We had a lovely evening and all my family were in attendance, including my brother, John Throne and his wife, Bonnie, who travelled from Chicago for the occasion. The event was also attended by a wide number of my UUP colleagues and friends who turned out to wish me well, and I want to thank them all for their support.”