A NEW mayor was elected to represent Ulverston for the year ahead at a meeting of the town council on Monday.

Replacing Mark Wilson as the town's first citizen is councillor of six years Paul Smith.

The 46-year-old Lakeland employee will be assisted in his duties by Dave Webster, who will serve as deputy mayor.

"I'm very honoured to take the role and follow in the footsteps of so many fantastic people and I'm looking forward to my year ahead working with the community," said Mr Smith, who lives at The Gill.

"I see the role of the mayor as helping to highlight the work of volunteer groups and events going on in the town that might not otherwise get the coverage they deserve."

The new mayor, who chaired his first council meeting at the Coronation Hall on Monday, said much of his focus will be raising awareness of mental health issues, and he also paid tribute to his predecessor Cllr Wilson.

He said: "I'm following a mayor who was just amazing. Mark did a fantastic job for Ulverston and was very much an ambassador for the town.

"He made a huge effort to get to as many events as possible and I just hope I can follow in his footsteps."