New mayor appointed in West Devon as council leader re-elected for third term

West Devon Borough Council has a new mayor, but its leader will remain in post for another year.

Cllr Paul Vachon (Ind, Okehampton South) will take on the role of mayor from Cllr Debo Sellis (Con, Tavistock South East). His deputy will be Chris Edmunds (Con, Tamarside).

Cllr Mandy Ewings (Ind, Tavistock South West) was re-elected as leader for a third year, as was deputy leader Mark Renders (Ind, Dartmoor).

Southampton-born Cllr Vachon has previously served as mayor of Okehampton and is an Okehampton Rotarian, with a passion for running and rock climbing.

His chosen charity this year will be the Dartmoor Rescue Group, of which he is a former member.

The new mayor, who was elected at the annual meeting of the council on Tuesday, said he is more of a listener than a talker, which he believes is important in local democracy.

He said there was a sword hanging over the council in terms of local government reorganisation, which is “going to make life difficult”, but he added that West Devon had a very dedicated team of officers and councillors who would make it “business as usual”.

He added that his wife Lynn was looking forward to being the mayoress for the year.

Outgoing mayor Debo Sellis was praised for nearly 20 years of public service.

Cllr Neil Jory (Con, Milton Ford) said as a councillor she had chaired every committee except one on the council and spent so much time running projects and supporting communities at grassroots level.

Cllr Sellis said it had been an honour to be mayor and thanked Alderman Diana Moyse for her “unstinting” support as consort.

During her year as mayor, Cllr Sellis raised £1,000 for the West Devon Scouts and Guides and also donated a specially created badge bearing the West Devon Borough Council crest to every member of the group.

She said as a former guide, the Girl Guide motto “I promise to do my best” was something she lived by, and the organisation had given her a strong moral code as an adult and entering into public life.

Members said Cllr Mandy Ewings had worked “exceptionally hard” as leader and had thrown “her heart and soul” into the role.