After two years in office, the now former Mayor of Kingsbridge Cllr Sara Halakij handed over the chains of office to the new incumbent Cllr Alan Spencer and received a past mayor’s badge from her successor.

Cllr Spencer becomes the 26th Mayor of Ivybridge which became a town in 1977 when Cllr John Congdon became the first to hold the office.

The Mayor said: ‘‘I am very honoured. Thanks very much for everyone who has voted for me and I’ll try and a good job which you would expect from me.’’

Outgoing Mayor Sara Hladkij presented a cheque for almost £2,000 to Christine Franklin and Kate Tanner of Devon Young Carers.

The money will be used to stage an outside educational event which will be held every half term for young carers who are registered in the area. They also asked for Councillors to suggest any suitable projects in the Ivybridge area.

In England, the offices of mayor and lord mayor have long been ceremonial posts, with few or no duties attached to them.

In recent years they have doubled as more influential political roles while retaining the ceremonial functions.

A mayor’s term of office denotes the municipal year and in Ivybridge the mayor is elected for a year with the possibility of being re-elected for a further year.

See more on page 13.