Council & Democracy

Biographical notes on the Lord Mayor, Councillor Naveeda Ikram and the Lord Mayor's Consort, Mr Saqib Salam Shah
Civic Year 2011-2012

The Lord Mayor, Councillor Naveeda Ikram

Councillor Ikram was born in Rochdale, but loves the richness of Bradford’s diversity and is proud to have chosen the City as her permanent home. She lives in Little Horton, the ward she represents.

Councillor Ikram was elected to Bradford Council in 2004 and since then has taken a keen interest in becoming a positive role model, raising awareness and inspiring other women in different walks of life.

She graduated in Psychology from Manchester and holds an MSc degree in Sociology from Punjab University. She has been an employee of Pakistan International Airlines in Bradford since 1999, where she works in the Marketing and Sales Department. Being an airline employee she has travelled widely and she also speaks Urdu and Punjabi.

Councillor Ikram is the only child of Yasmeen and Muhammad Ikram, though she is keen to point out she was never spoiled! She is married to Saqib Salam Shah, who is her Consort for the year. The have three children, the eldest is 15 year old Silham, Faham is 14 and Alisha is the youngest at 7 years of age and one of her greatest pleasures is spending quality time with their children. Faham has a scholarship for the Under 15s at the Keighley Cougars Elite Academy and the family support the Keighley Cougars and Bradford Bulls.

Since her election in 2004 she has held many positions. Recently she was the chair of Education Transport Appeals and a member of Bradford East Area Committee. She has also been Deputy Chair of the Social Care Scrutiny Improvement Committee and the Regeneration Improvement Committee. In 2008 she was the shadow Policy Spokesperson for Adult Services. She has also been Women’s Officer for the Labour Group from 2005-2008 and attended and organised conferences. In 2007 she was one of two Bradford councillors picked for the Next Generation leadership programme designed to identify future leaders.

Councillor Ikram takes a great interest in her local community and is a school governor at both Newby and Bankfoot Primary Schools. She is also Chair of the Canterbury Acting Partnership. She is an active member of the Residents’ Association and community groups in her ward. Since 2004 she has been on the RSL Board of Incommunities. Between 2004 and 2009 she was a member of the West Yorkshire Fire Authority.

Councillor Ikram was the founder of a local charity called ‘Bradford Unites in Disaster’ (a Karmand Community Centre project) and is the Patron of the Hepatitis C Trust in Bradford. She also supports the work of the British Red Cross, Cancer Research UK, Edhi Welfare Association and Behbud e Khawateen (a development project for women in Pakistan).

Councillor Ikram is keen to improve participation in the democratic process, alongside boosting community cohesion and integration initiatives.

During her year as Lord Mayor she hopes to be a positive and active ambassador for the City about which she is so passionate.

In the little leisure time she gets, she enjoys going on family picnics and very much enjoys days out in the Yorkshire Dales. Her abiding interests in history and nature find a welcome outlet when, on holiday, she gets the chance to explore towns and villages all over the country.

The Lord Mayor enjoys all kinds of food, but does only eat Halal meat.

Saqib Salam Shah is an employee of the Ministry of Justice, based at Leeds Combined Court and has been in the Civil Service since 2004. He took his LLB (Hons) at Bradford College and got a scholarship from HMCS to sit the Legal Practice Course, which he completed at Leeds Metropolitan University.

Mr Shah enjoys doing voluntary and charitable work and has been an active volunteer with ‘Bradford Unites in Disaster’. He has been Vice-Chair of the Mayfield Community Association and now sits on the Management Committee.

In his leisure time, he likes going to the gym and has played basketball. He also enjoys poetry such as Rumi and, in particular, Urdu of Allama Iqbal and Mirza Ghalib.

The Lord Mayor’s Consort also enjoys all types of food, but eats only Halal meat.

If you wish to invite the Lord Mayor to an event you will need to write/e-mail/fax the Lord Mayor's Office. Please note that at least fourteen clear days' notice is required for an invitation to be fully considered.

Please address your invitation to:

Mrs Loraine Radcliffe
Civic Affairs Manager
The Lord Mayor's Office
2nd Floor, City Hall
Bradford
West Yorkshire
BD1 1HY

You may wish to e-mail us at: lord.mayor@bradford.gov.uk or alternatively reach us via fax on 01274 395529.

If your enquiry specifically pertains to the Lord Mayor's Appeal fund, you may contact Alexis Jenner, the Lord Mayor's Events Officer on 01274 434965 or via e-mail to lordmayorsappeal@bradford.gov.uk

If initially (before writing) you wish to ascertain the Lord Mayor's availability to attend an event please ring the Office on one of the following numbers 01274 432283, 432276, 432284, 434398 or 434935 where a staff member will be delighted to assist.