THE annual meeting of West Devon Borough Council was held at Kilworthy Park, Tavistock on May 21 which saw the new Mayor and Leader appointed for the next 12 months.

Following the local elections in May, the Council’s 15 new members all took their seats alongside the returning councillors and voted Cllr Neil Jory in as their new Leader.

Cllr Neil Jory said: “I am delighted to have been chosen as Leader and am really looking forward to working with the new Council. We have a real opportunity to move forward and develop policies which will benefit residents on issues such as the Climate Change resolution that was brought before Council today.

“I am also committed to maintaining the services that our residents value and rely on.

“I would also like to lead the Council in a vote of thanks to Philip Sanders, our former Leader of many years. It is because of his steadfastness, his commitment to moving the Council forward, that despite reductions in direct government funding, we are in the position that we are now.”

During the meeting the Council appointed Cllr Lois Samuel as Deputy Leader, a post she also held under the last administration.

Cllr Terry Pearce, gave thanks to the outgoing Leader of the Independent Group, Robert Sampson.

At the meeting West Devon Borough Council also passed a motion recognising that urgent steps are needed to tackle Climate Change. Cllr Mike Davies, who presented the motion, said: “We need to have a strategy and action plan for improving the resilience of the Borough in addressing the threat of Climate Change through the sustainable use and generation of energy.

“I know that this is currently being considered by our officers, but we need to have this as a driving force in how we think and breathe as a Council.”

The Council agreed to set up a working group who will report back to the Council in three months.

The new Mayor of West Devon Borough Council for the next 12 months will be Cllr Tony Leech and his Deputy Mayor will be Cllr Caroline Mott.