ANGELA Clear was last night elected as the 824th Mayor of Winchester by her fellow councillors.

It will be the second time she has been the first citizen and she took on the role unexpectedly early this year after Derek Green resigned.

So in an unusual twist, in the traditional ceremony in the Bapsy Hall at the Guildhall, she was elevated in the traditional ceremony even though she is already in the role.

Recently retired city councillor Therese Evans will be her 'mayoress'. Cllr Russell Gordon-Smith, who represents Alresford, will be deputy mayor and so in line to be the mayor in 2024-25.

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Proposing Cllr Clear, Cllr Neil Cutler said she "exudes warmth, friendliness and kindness but as a chairman is firm and takes no nonsense. These are all qualities so important to the role as mayor".

He said she had moved to Wickham in 1975 with her husband Peter and children. She worked as a volunteer at Montessori school sparking an interest in education and leading her to train as a teacher, returning to Montessori and becoming head before retiring in 2001.

She joined Wickham Parish Council in 2003, becoming chairman in 2005 and serving in that role for 16 years until 2021. Cllr Clear was elected to the city council in 2007.

Council chief executive Laura Taylor presented her with the civic jewellery including a brooch, bracelet, ring as well as the medieval keys of the city and the modern keys to Abbey House, the mayor's official residence on The Broadway.

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Proposing Cllr Evans, Cllr Kelsie Learney said she had served on the council for 28 years and been the first head of modern languages at The Henry Beaufort School in Harestock.

Cllr Clear, in her speech, paid tribute to the 'Manor Close Possee', her neighbours in Wickham: "They watch over me quite a lot. I can't make a move without them watching me," and many of them were in the audience.

Her nominated charities for whom she will raise funds are Rowans Hospice, Naomi House and Jack's Place and Ssafa, the armed forces charity.

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The Royal Logistic Corps was granted the freedom of the city and musical entertainment was provided by its corps of drums.

The honour, said Cllr Clear, means it has "the right to march through the city to the beat of drums, with swords drawn, bayonets fixed and colours flying."

The regiment recently moved its headquarters to Worthy Down.

Cllr Martin Tod was re-elected as council leader. The Cabinet remains largely the same with Cllr Chris Westwood having control of housing. Cllr Tod thanked Cabinet members stepping down, Margot Power, Russell Gordon-Smith and Paula Ferguson for their service.

Certificates were presented to retiring councillors Therese Evans, Victoria Weston, Mike Craske and Hannah Williams.

The mayor also paid tribute to former mayor Ray Pearce who died last week. He was councillor for the St Paul's ward for 28 years from 1986 to 2014 and was mayor in 1994-95. She said "he was a dearly-loved, a lovely man."