A NEW council made a low-key start by voting not to give a town its first mayor.

Greater Willington Town Council, which held its first meeting on Monday night, will instead have a chairman, Councillor Jim Smith, and vice-chairman Councillor Brian Myers.

Three of the nine members voted to create the mayor's post, which Coun Myers said would raise the profile of the town.

But Councillor David Kingston said the fledgling authority should establish its role first.

He said: "We have more important things to worry about at this stage.

"Having a mayor could be perceived that we were running before we can walk.

"We need to show that the council is as successful as we think it will be before we take the decision."

Pensioner Isabel Foxcroft, 75, went to the meeting to object to a proposal to have a mayor.

She said: "I think they made the right decision. A lot of people didn't want a mayor.

"It is too premature. I came to the meeting just because of that, but I will come again to see what goes on."

Coun Smith, 66, from Sunnybrow, was chairman of Wear Valley District Council in 1977.

A retired company secretary, he served on the former Crook and Willington council and the district council for 17 years.

Since then, he has taken an active role in the Willington community and is vice-president of the Bad Oyenshausen Town Twinning Association, which will celebrate its 30th anniversary in July.

He said: "We are all here to do our best for Willington. I feel the town has had the short straw compared with Crook and we will be looking to secure funding for new projects.

"Willington has a lot to offer and, by having a town council, we can do a lot more.

"I voted to have a mayor to give Willington the same status as nearby towns like Spennymoor."

The town council will meet on the third Tuesday of every month at 6.30pm in the Resource Centre, where messages can be left for members.

Other councillors are Alan Townsend, Becky Brunskill, Arthur Graham, Margaret Pinkney, Alan Sinclair and Graham Sewell.

West Auckland Parish Council re-elected Hazel Charlton as chairwoman and Colin Mairs as vice-chairman.

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