Haringey Council has welcomed the announcement that council leader Claire Kober has been awarded an OBE in the Queen’s Birthday Honours.
Cllr Kober – who became leader of the council in December 2008 and is also Deputy Leader of London Councils and a member of the Local Government Association – has been honoured for services to local government.
Cllr Kober was hailed an “excellent ambassador” for Haringey, willing to take risks to ensure success and deliver the best for local residents – including leading ambitious regeneration in Tottenham; driving forward huge improvements in local education; forging productive partnerships, and making the council a more professional and success-focused organisation.
Mayor and First Citizen of Haringey, Cllr Jennifer Mann, said:
“This is a ringing endorsement of the hard work being done both by Cllr Kober and many others to help improve Haringey on behalf of everyone who lives and works here, and to make the borough a byword for excellence.”
The announcement has also been welcomed by local and national partners.
Patrick Cozier, Chair of the Haringey Secondary Heads Forum and headteacher at Highgate Wood School, said:
“I am so thrilled for Claire, as are my secondary headteacher colleagues.
“She deserves the recognition that she is getting for showing amazing dedication and commitment to the people of Haringey.
“Claire is strong, courageous and forward thinking – a visionary. Her contribution to the work of schools as the leader in this local authority is significant and we applaud her and celebrate in what she has achieved. We look forward to working with Claire over the coming years to achieve even more.”
Sir Stuart Lipton, Chair of the Independent Panel on Tottenham – which was set up to explore the best routes to recovery and regeneration in the aftermath of the 2011 riots – said:
“Claire Kober has made a huge contribution to the borough of Haringey by radical change of the way the council is now run with an emphasis on care for her community.
“Her forensic attention to detail has enabled Haringey to be highly efficient and a new leader in the government of London.”
Cllr Kober said:
“I’m hugely honoured to have been made an OBE. It’s wonderful that Haringey’s progress has been recognised in this way, and I look forward to continuing to work with our communities and partners to secure a successful and sustainable future for our borough.”