OKEHAMPTON?S new mayor Cllr Tony Leech told the gathered civic dignitaries it was an ?absolute privilege? to be elected to the office at last week?s Mayor Choosing ceremony.

But he said he had a difficult task in following Cllr Christine Marsh.

Cllr Marsh had served as mayor of Okehampton for five consecutive years, during a time when the town had undergone much regeneration, before deciding not to seek re-election this year.

Before Cllr Leech was formally elected Mayor, Cllr Marsh gave a speech reflecting on some aspects of her five years as the public face of Okehampton.

Cllr Marsh said there had been a number of big projects in Okehampton which had come to fruition in the time she had been mayor. Waitrose had come to the town, the Simmons Park designation bid had been successful and the new sports centre was due to open later this year.

Cllr Marsh said: ?Other successes have been the new hospital, which is important for our health, the college and the primary school, which are about learning and our future.? She said the Museum of Dartmoor Life, the Ockment Centre and Dartmoor Railway had also had success in securing funding for their enhancement in the last five years.

Looking to the future, Cllr Marsh said it was important people got involved in community planning to have an influence on how Okehampton develops.

Cllr Marsh said she was proud to have introduced the EX20 Lottery, which in the three and a half years since it was started, had brought in £90.000, just under half of which had gone to community groups in the postcode area.

The Mayor?s Charity had also been a success she said, and over the last five years had raised £15,000, including £6,000 this past 12 months alone. Cllr Marsh thanked Waitrose manager John Webb for his support of the charity and PC Dave Woodland who donated the proceeds from the Police Charity Golf Day. The rest of this year?s total came from donations and the mayor?s music evening. Cllr Marsh presented cheques to Okehampton College principal Chris Powell and St John Ambulance.

Cllr Marsh will continue to represent the area as a town and county councillor.

Following the outgoing mayor?s speech, the ceremonial robes and chains were passed on to their new holder Cllr Tony Leech, who has been a town councillor for five years and has served as chairman of the council?s policy and resources and properties committees.

Cllr Leech said it was a great honour to be chosen as mayor of Okehampton: ?It is such a privilege, it really is.?

He paid tribute to his predecessor. ?I would like to thank Christine Marsh for everything she has done. I trust the whole of the community really do realise what she has done for them,? he said.

Cllr Leech said he had thought long and hard before standing as mayor as he had to balance the duties of being mayor with a full-time job. He said he was persuaded by other local mayors who said it would be a good advert for younger people with busy jobs to see it was possible to get involved in the town council.

Cllr Leech reiterated Cllr Marsh?s assertion that Okehampton should not become a dormitory town and he acknowledged there were challenges ahead. ?We have got some problems here, we know that, but we should not be shouting so loud about them that it puts people off coming to the town,? he said.

Cllr Leech said he was keen to make councillors far more accessible to local people and strengthen the democratic process.

Cllr Leech said he hoped the assembled guests including town residents, business people, schoolchildren and teachers would be back in 12 months time to let the council know if it had been a successful year.

Cllr Mike Davies was elected deputy town mayor, and said he was looking forward to working with the mayor to preserve the history and heritage of the town while embracing change as well.