In 2000 the government allowed people to elect their own mayors to represent their areas. Newham's residents seized this opportunity. In a public vote they scrapped the century-old committee system of decision making, choosing to have one figurehead directly accountable to them.

So what does this mean? It means firstly that I am the leader of the council and have full executive decision-making power. This means I can drive the changes in council services that we all want. I work with the Deputy Mayor, Councillor Christine Bowden and a group of executive members and advisors, who have particular areas of responsibility.

It also means that I am fully accountable to the people of this borough for the decisions I make. People know where the buck stops for the things the council does – and quite simply it stops with me. That's a responsibility I take very seriously.

The starting point for all the decisions I make is what you, as Newham residents, tell me. Your priorities are my priorities. You'll see that my plans for my term of office reflect the main concerns of Newham's residents. You can read my pledges for the next four years. I want people to have their say and I am open and accessible at all times. There are many ways you can contact me and meet me.

However, running the council's services is only one part of my job. As Mayor my responsibility extends to any issue that affects people in this borough, whether it concerns the council or not.

That's why I pressure other public services, such as the Police or the NHS, to deliver the best for Newham's residents. On the national and international stage I represent the borough, acting as an advocate and champion for our interests. My work with government ministers and business leaders is crucial to promoting growth, prosperity and improved quality of life in the borough. One example of this is my work on "London 2012", the organisation that brought the Olympics to Newham.

Newham is a dynamic and forward-looking borough and through the Mayoral system we have a system of governance to match.