KENDAL'S new mayor formally took office in a ceremony at the town hall.

Cllr Andy Blackman, who sits on Kendal Town Council for Heron Hill ward, is taking over from fellow Liberal Democrat Stephen Coleman.

For the past year he has served as deputy mayor.

Councillors, visitors from Kendal's twin-town of Rinteln in Germany, and other members of the community were in attendance last Thursday evening.

"I regard it as an honour and a privilege that I never thought was going to happen to myself," said Cllr Blackman. "I am excited for the coming year, but I am also aware of the responsibility that the role has attached to it.

"The theme I have chosen for my mayoral year is 'Love your Community'.

"There are many senses of the word community. You can belong to lots of different sorts: school, church, work, sports and social clubs, as well as the community of people in Kendal.

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"We are all attached to different communities and these are important attachments.

"If we look back to 2015 we have what I think of as the two floods caused by Storm Desmond. First we had the water and the deluge, and then we had the flood of compassion, support, help and kindness that followed it.

"The people of Kendal demonstrated all of this. I want to encourage them to continue in that vein.

"The outgoing mayor, Stephen, has been tremendous. He has shown grace and good humour and has taken the role on with great responsibility.

"I have got to know him as a friend. I didn't know him very well when we were beginning to work together, but from working with him I have got to know him.

"He will be a hard act to follow."

Cllr Blackman has chosen two charities to focus on during his year in office. These are the Kendal Family Drop-In Centre and Kendal Dementia Action Alliance.