The Mayor of Bury has been appointed.

Cllr Sandra Walmsley for Moorside was been sworn in as the new Mayor of Bury at the annual meeting of Bury Council.

Cllr Walmsley took over the chains of office from Redvales councillor Shaheena Haroon.

Cllr Walmsley has lived in Bury for over 37 years and went to school at Radcliffe Hall Primary, the Derby High School and Holy Cross College and is currently working towards a postgraduate master’s degree in criminology at the University of Manchester.

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She became a Moorside councillor in 2010 for Labour and has served the ward ever since.

She has held many senior roles in the council, including being a cabinet member for community safety, housing and resources, and the chair of licensing.

Cllr Walmsley has also served on the Greater Manchester Fire Authority and the Greater Manchester Housing Commission.

The Mayor is a governor at Chesham Primary School, and she volunteers her time with local food banks and community groups.

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Her mayoral charities this year will be Bury Samaritans, Early Break and the Smith-Magenis Syndrome Foundation.

Cllr Walmsley said: “I am honoured to become the new Mayor of Bury and look forward to working with local community groups, charities, organisations and businesses to showcase the very best our borough has to offer.

“I hope to open up the Mayor's Parlour to as many people as possible through the year and look forward to raising funds for local charities including Bury Samaritans, Early Break and the Smith-Magenis Syndrome Foundation."

The mayor’s consort will be her partner James Bentley, and her mayoress will be her mother, Gillian Hargreaves.

The Reverend Elizabeth Binns will serve as the mayor’s chaplain.

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At the meeting, members also voted to install North Manor councillor Khalid Hussain as deputy mayor for the coming year.

Medallions were also presented to Cllr Haroon in recognition of the service she had given.

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