Bracknell

Bracknell Forest councillors extended a warm welcome to Cllr Mrs Gill Birch, ward councillor for Hanworth, as she became the new Mayor of the Borough at the annual meeting of the Council last night (Wednesday, May 23).

Cllr Mrs Gill Birch was elected Bracknell Mayor during the Mayor Making part of the meeting and will now take over as first citizen of Bracknell Forest from Cllr Clifton Thompson.

Cllr Thompson was Mayor of Bracknell borough for a year, during which time he and the Mayoress, Mrs Sue Thompson, supported Age Concern Bracknell Forest as the chosen mayoral charity.

Throughout the year Cllr Thompson attended many functions and events as the borough's representative and met many of Bracknell Forest's residents, volunteers and and business people.

During his term of office the outline planning applications for the new town centre were approved and the principal development agreement confirmed; and Cllr Thompson witnessed the signing of the multimillion pound RE3 waste disposal project and the Nottingham Declaration on Climate Change - both major commitments for the Council.

Cllr Mrs Birch was Deputy Mayor for Cllr Thompson, and during Wednesday's ceremony she introduced the new Deputy Mayor as Cllr Bob Edger, ward councillor for College Town.

Her consort for the year will be her husband and fellow councillor Cllr Dale Birch, who is Executive Member for Adult Service, Health and Housing, Deputy Leader of the Council and ward councillor for Little Sandhurst and Wellington.

Her mother Margaret Kingston and two children Susie Birch, 25, and Graham Birch, 27, were also present at the ceremony on Wednesday to see Cllr Mrs Birch officially take over as Bracknell Forest Mayor.

Cllr Mrs Birch said: "I have had a really wonderful year as deputy mayor and I'm sure I'll have an even more enjoyable year as Mayor of the borough, being an ambassador for Bracknell Forest and meeting many of the borough's residents and discovering all the wonderful things they do for all of us to make this the borough of opportunity. "

Cllr Thompson added: "My wife and I thoroughly enjoyed my year in office and meeting people from across the borough and beyond.

"I was lucky enough to witness some very exciting developments throughout the year as well, including the approval of plans for the town centre redevelopment, the signing of the RE3 waste project and the signing of the Nottingham Declaration on Climate Change - which is a major commitment from the Council.

"I would like to thank everyone who made my Mayoral year so special and would like to wish Cllr Mrs Birch all the best for her Mayoral term."

Bracknell Forest Borough Council