THE new ceremonial mayor of Whitehaven has vowed to work tirelessly "for the benefit of this wonderful town".

Raymond Gill, 67, was voted in as the first citizen, ousting previous incumbent Michael Guest, at the annual meeting of Whitehaven Town Council last night (Thursday). Mr Gill polled seven votes to Mr Guest's four.

Mr Gill, whose wife Pat becomes mayoress, said: "It is an honour to represent the town I love. I will work hard - with all town councillors and outside bodies - for the benefit of this wonderful town."

He has nominated Mayfield School and the West Cumbria branch of Parkinson's UK as the charities that will benefit from fundraising events held throughout the year.

Born and raised in Whitehaven, Mr Gill left school at 15, and started working at Haig Pit, initially on the screens before moving underground.

Between 1970 and 1977, he was a bus driver for Cumberland Motor Service, and was also chairman of the Whitehaven branch of the Transport and General Workers Union during this time.

In 1977, Mr Gill began working full time for the Labour Party, and was an agent to long-serving Copeland MP Jack Cunningham until 1980.

For the next nine years, Mr Gill worked as a regional secretary for the North West branch of the Labour Party.

A change in career saw Mr Gill run a shop at Hensingham before becoming a taxi driver up until his retirement two years ago.

Mr Gill has also served on Copeland Council three times. He was first elected in 1975, at the age of 26, and was re-elected as a councillor in 1991. He returned to local politics last year and was re-elected as Copeland councillor for the Hensingham ward. He is currently chairman of Copeland's Overview and Scrutiny Committee.

Whitehaven Town Council voted in February to change the title of its chair to that of mayor, and the standing chair Mr Guest became mayor at that time.

The role of Copeland Council’s ceremonial mayor was ended when the borough’s first elected mayor, Mike Starkie, took up post last May.

Mr Gill has received a badge of office, and the town council has applied to Copeland Council for the formal transfer of the robes, mace and chain (worth around £75,000) that the mayor can wear at civic events.

The mayoral regalia formerly belonged to Whitehaven Borough Council before a local government reorganisation in 1974 saw the council unify with Ennerdale Rural District Council and Millom Rural District Council to form Copeland.

Mr Gill's deputy for 2016/17 is Conservative councillor Graham Roberts, who polled six votes to opponent Brian O'Kane's five.