Councillor takes over familiar role

Swaffham stalwart Shirley Matthews has been elected town mayor for the sixth time.

Mrs Matthews made history when she took the helm of Swaffham Town Council for the third successive year in 2008 and previously accepted the role in 1989 and 1997.

She was elected by members at a council meeting on Wednesday, but was unable to attend on the night for personal reasons.

Last year's deputy mayor Terry Jennison, who was due to be elected mayor under the council's standing orders, said that she would not be seeking the position for personal reasons and was re-elected to the role of deputy.

She was chairman of the meeting in the new mayor's absence and thanked the outgoing mayor, Ian Sherwood, for his hard work and dedication to the role over the last 12 months.

'I think we have all appreciated your fairness and I can honestly say your wry humour will be very much missed.'

The town council welcomed four new members to the fold, including the town's youngest ever town councillor 19-year-old Amy Head, a founder member of the youth council.

Mrs Matthews was also elected as a Breckland district councillor in the recent local elections and is also a member of Hamond's Educational Trust.