PORTLAND'S new mayor said the island has much to look forward to in the upcoming year.

Rod Wild will be taking the role as mayor, having been deputy mayor for the past 12 months.

He was officially appointed to the role, with Glenn Chadwick as deputy mayor, at a mayor-making ceremony at St George's Centre in Portland.

Cllr Wild is well known in the area as the Borough Dog Warden before he retired in 1997.

At the ceremony Cllr Wild thanked the fellow councillors and said that he plans to build on the success of the previous mayor, Rob Hughes.

Speaking after the ceremony Cllr Wild said: "Rob has done a superb job.

"We have had our problems here in Portland but he has really been trying to build bridges and that is what we are going to continue.

"All the invited guests were people who had done something special on the island.

"There was one man who had provided litter bins around the island and a group of ladies who had held various fundraisers.

"The two charities we will be supporting this year are The Portland Seafarers Support Group and Portland Food Bank.

"We are now working to formulate a plan for the next full council meeting."

At the ceremony Cllr Hughes donated a £1,250 cheque Portland Coastwatch's Geoff Peters, raised from charity fundraisers the council had hosted throughout the previous year when he was mayor.

Cllr Hughes said: "It has been an exciting year as the mayor of Portland.

"A personal highlight for me was declaring Les Ames as honorary freeman of the island.

"Having the opportunity to meet other mayors thought Dorset has been brilliant for us.

"We have been bridge building throughout the year and I know Rod aims to continue this and actively involve the community in our projects.

"The wonderful thing about Portland council is that they are all volunteers and I wish all the councillors and our new members the best of luck.

"It has been an enlightening and invaluable experience. The council put their faith in me and I thank them for that."

Cllr Chadwick said: "I am very proud and privileged to have been elected as deputy mayor and I know that Rob is absolutely elated to be elected mayor.

"In the next year we plan to continue going forward with the problems we may have and feel need to be addressed.

"We have eight new members on the council and hopefully we can continue to go forward and make a positive difference and progress as an island."

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