CIVIC dignitaries, town residents, teachers and well-wishers gathered to watch Cllr Frances Luxton take up the office of mayor of Okehampton last Wednesday. Cllr Tony Leech, who has served two years as mayor, handed over the chains of office to Cllr Luxton at the mayor choosing ceremony in the town hall. He said his two years as mayor had gone ?very fast? but it had been ?an absolute honour and privilege? to represent the town: ?I have been proud to be part of a lot of special events over the last two years. ?Hopefully, if we can pull off the cinema this year, secure more employment land and get better public transport for the town, there will be more to come.? Cllr Leech thanked his wife, Sue, for her support and praised the mayor?s cadet, Ben Stephens, with whom he said it had been a pleasure to work. The mayor?s chosen charities had a successful year, said Cllr Leech, with in excess of £4,000 raised. He presented a cheque for £3,000 to Hospiscare and around £600 each to Macmillan and Cancer Research. Cllr Leech offered his congratulations to Cllr Luxton on becoming the next mayor. Cllr Luxton told the audience, she was a local girl through and through: ?I have lived most of my life in Okehampton and the Hamlets. I attended the primary school and grammar school. ?I left for London and I was working as a chiropodist in Putney, when I decided I wanted to come back to Okehampton.? She will be following in the footsteps of some illustrious predecessors. ?I am told my grandfather was mayor in 1928, and my mother was the first lady mayor in 1975. They say trouble comes in threes,? she jested. Cllr Luxton said with the amount of new homes being built in the town, Okehampton was changing rapidly. ?It is difficult to see how we can retain the heart of the town,? she said. ?But I recently attended the opening of the Oak Road Residents? Association?s new play area. Three years ago, the area was very run down, but the community spirit they have shown gives us hope.? Cllr Luxton said all members of the council had been saddened by the death of one of their colleagues, Cllr Mike Roberts, over the Christmas period. ?We really do miss him at meetings,? she said. This year?s mayor?s cadet is Rebecca Wilson from Okehampton Air Cadets. Cllr Luxton said she hoped to use the mayor?s charity to support local good causes ? the first fundraising event would be in aid of the Devon Air Ambulance. Cllr Luxton concluded: ?I will do my best to continue the good example set by those who have gone before.? Cllr Luxton has been a member of Okehampton Town Council for seven years. The post of deputy mayor will be filled by Cllr Kay Bickley, who vowed to do her best to support the new mayor. Following the mayor choosing ceremony, guests enjoyed a buffet reception in the newly repainted Charter Hall.
