THE new chairman of Selby District Council said today it was the proudest day of his life when he was handed the chain of office.
The official ceremony took place on Tuesday at Selby Civic Centre, when Coun Richard Sweeting succeeded retiring chairman Coun John Bedworth.
Mr Sweeting, 34, an Independent councillor who represents Tadcaster West, has been a member of the district council for four years.
A former Mayor of Tadcaster, he has been a Tadcaster town councillor for 12 years and is a care assistant at Highfield Nursing Home, at Scarthingwell.
His consort will be Patricia Beaton, a former next-door neighbour who lives in Tadcaster.
Mr Sweeting announced that the charities he would be supporting this year as chairman were Tadcaster Voluntary Car Scheme, Selby Age Concern and the Tadcaster branch of the Arthritis Research Campaign.
He said: "I chose the arthritis charity in memory of my mother, Hazel, who suffered from rheumatoid arthritis from the age of 26."
The new vice-chairman of the district council is Chris Pearson, a Conservative councillor who represents Hambleton.
Updated: 08:46 Thursday, May 15, 2003
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