The mayor of Attleborough has been reappointed to the role for the second year in a row.

Jeremy Burton will continue to wear the market town's mayoral chain for the 2017/18 term following a town council meeting at the town hall on Monday (May 8).

Mr Burton said he was delighted to be staying on as the town's mayor.

He said: 'I'm really pleased to have the opportunity for a second term. There are some big projects coming on at the moment, and it will be good to have the continuity to move those forward.'

Mr Burton said a major issue would be the Attleborough Neighbourhood Plan, which aimed to guide the development of the town and ensure there would be enough services and infrastructure to cater for the thousands of new homes that are planned to be built there.

The town council is currently consulting Breckland Council on the plan, and hopes are that it will be formally adopted if it is accepted by residents in a referendum, which is slated to take place in August or September.

Mr Burton said: 'The consultation should be finalised on May 19.

'Then examiners will be appointed and hopefully we will have a referendum this year.

'It will be the culmination of five or six years' work.'

Mr Burton said other projects in the works included plans for town centre car park time restrictions, the opening of a new town archive centre which would offer greater access to the public, a new cemetery and the development of a new multi-purpose play area (Muga).

He said: 'It is an exciting time for the town. It's planned to grow at a rapid rate for the next 20 years, so we are keen to get everything right for that. We are looking forward to a good year of making good progress.'

Mr Burton, who works as a building society area manager, was also mayor for the 2006/2007 term.

Also at the meeting, Vera Dale was reappointed deputy mayor, and Stuart Burns joined the council as a new member.

Do you have an Attleborough story? Email Stuart Anderson at stuart.anderson@archant.co.uk or call him on 01603 772 588.

Visit www.attleboroughtc.org.uk to learn more about the neighbourhood plan.