The last mayor of St Edmundsbury borough has been appointed following a ceremony in Bury St Edmunds.
The annual mayor making event was held on Thursday at the Apex in the town, with Margaret Marks, who represents Haverhill West ward, taking up the role.
Mrs Marks takes the chains from Terry Clements following his term in office and Patrick Chung will take up the role of deputy mayor.
Mrs Marks will be the last mayor of St Edmundsbury borough due to the impending creation of a new West Suffolk Council – which would replace Forest Heath and St Edmundsbury.
The orders to create the single authority are due to be signed this month after being backed by both the House of Commons and Lords last week.
The leaders of both Forest Heath and St Edmundsbury have said that looking at civic leadership will be one of the first priorities in setting up the new council.
In creating a new council the current borough status in St Edmundsbury stops but both councils made sure that within the orders going through parliament this could be applied for.
Mrs Marks said: “I’m very humbled really, I don’t think when I became deputy they knew I would be the last mayor.
“I’m really looking forward to the year, lots of challenges going forward for west Suffolk particularly as we will then become the tenth largest council outside of the boroughs so we will have enormous negotiation powers so hopefully that will drive us forward.”
Mrs Marks also paid tribute to her late husband Tim – a former borough mayor – and spoke of her focus.
“He was a really good mayor and a great role model but so have Julia Wakelam, Patrick Chung, and quite a few after him who I have had as great role models to follow,” she said.
“Each one is different and each one has their own agenda item and it’s no secret mine will be health.
“One in five people in the borough are over 65 and going forward that will be one in three.
“So we really need to think about health going forward for everybody and manage expectation because I think that’s a big role the mayor can have this year.”
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