A new mayor of Epsom and Ewell was appointed on Tuesday.

Lib Dem councillor Colin Taylor, who represents Stamford ward, has lived in the borough for 43 years.

An Epsom councillor for 14 years, he also served as a Surrey county councillor.

After being appointed to the role in a ceremony at Epsom town hall, he said: "It is truly an honour to be chosen as the first citizen of Epsom and Ewell in what is going to be another eventful year.

"Though Epsom and Ewell is the smallest borough in Surrey, it is second-to-none and lives up to its motto of None Such.

"I promise to do a good job and I will do my best not to let you down."

Coun Taylor, a former leader of Epsom and Ewell’s Lib Dem group, the largest opposition group on the council, has chosen three charities to support in his mayoral year.

They are internationally award-winning charity MERU, which provides bespoke equipment for children and young people with disabilities; Epsom Phab, which provides activities for disabled and non-disabled young people; and The Sunnybank Trust, a charity supporting people with learning disabilities in the community - with which the Epsom Guardian recently launched the Shine On appeal to help the trust raise £75,000 by next April so it can continue running.

At his first engagement, for Noise Action Week, the mayor hammered home the message of noise nuisance with audio equipment which had been seized by Epsom Council.

He takes over the role of mayor from Residents' Association councillor Christine Long.

Residents’ Association councillor Robert Foote will serve as deputy mayor.