COUNCILLOR Peter Lill has been elected the new Mayor of Royston – just three years after he last held the position. He took over from Councillor Lynn Berry at Royston Town Council s annual meeting on Monday evening. He said that when he was mayor in 2003-

COUNCILLOR Peter Lill has been elected the new Mayor of Royston - just three years after he last held the position.

He took over from Councillor Lynn Berry at Royston Town Council's annual meeting on Monday evening.

He said that when he was mayor in 2003-04 he "enjoyed every moment" of the mayoral year.

"It gave me the chance to see a lot of the organisations in the town. They really are the backbone of the community," he said.

Cllr Lill said his mayor charities for the year will be the Lewin Stroke Unit at Addenbrooke's and the Royston Stroke Club, which is based at the Old Barn.

His choice of charities comes in the wake of his partner Wendy Gibbs having a stroke last year.

Cllr Lill said that she would be his mayoress for the year.

"She is slowly coming to terms with the situation and being mayoress may act as some kind of therapy," he said.

Cllr Lill added that in the past Cllr Berry as mayor had been a credit to Royston and the town council.

Cllr Berry said she was reluctant to give up the mayoral chain as it had been such an "interesting" year.

During the past 12 months she attended almost 100 events.

Cllr Berry was presented with a cheque for £100 from Crow editor Les Baker towards her mayoral charities, Meldreth Manor School and the Old Barn Day Centre.

Cllr Berry has been elected leader of the town council and chairman of the Finance committee.

She will take over from Councillor Philip Mayne, who held the position during the past 12 months.

Councillor Bill Prime will continue as chairman of the Planning Committee, and Councillor Mike Harrison as chairman of the General Purposes and Highways Committee.

- During a meeting of the Planning committee, Cllr Rod Kennedy said that the town council's role had now become more important due to a restructuring of North Herts District Council.

The district council is about to introduce a central planning committee which will take the decision-making process away from the Royston area committee.

Cllr Kennedy said that the town council may have to review its approach to planning applications.