THE new mayor of Dorchester has said she is ‘delighted’ to serve the county town once again.

Councillor Susie Hosford was announced as the county town’s first citizen for the 2017/18 mayoral year at a meeting of Dorchester Town Council.

Cllr Hosford was chosen following a mayoral selection committee meeting and the proposal was unanimously backed by councillors at the annual town meeting.

She will replace Cllr Tim Harries, who will serve as deputy mayor for next year, following a mayor making ceremony in

May.

Cllr Hosford said: “I am delighted to be chosen as the mayor of Dorchester for the coming year and look forward to taking an active part of the varied life of our community.

“There are some major challenges facing Dorchester in the year ahead and as these move forward the Town Council will be working hard to ensure that we achieve the best possible outcomes for our Town and all its residents.”

Cllr Hosford, who is also a West Dorset District councillor, has lived in Dorset since 1979 and raised her family in Dorchester.

She was first elected to the council in 2003 and is currently the chairman of planning and environment committee and a member of the management committee.

An experienced councillor, she previously served as mayor for the year 2009 to 2010.

Current mayor Tim Harries said he will miss his mayoral role but said his successor will be ‘splendid’.

He said: “Susie is going to be an absolutely brilliant mayor, she has done it before of course and she was excellent.

“It is important to have a mayor who is active and gets involved with residents and town events to raise the profile of the town.

“I have had great fun being mayor and I think I will miss it. It’s hard work and very busy but it’s huge fun.

“It has been a pleasure going to lots of things, and meeting lots of interesting people from Dorchester, it is a great town. Susie is going to have a great year.”