THE new lord mayor of Ards and North Down has said it is a "great honour" to take on the role.
DUP councillor for Bangor West, Jennifer Gilmour, was appointed lord mayor at the annual general meeting of Ards and North Down Borough Council on Wednesday.
Alliance councillor Hannah Irwin, who represents the Bangor East and Donaghadee DEA, was appointed deputy lord mayor.
Ms Gilmour, who previously served as deputy mayor in the old North Down Borough Council, said of her appointment: "It's a great honour...and I look forward to meeting many of the groups and individuals across the entire council area who make this such a great place.
“Having grown up on a farm I am not afraid to get my hands dirty and get stuck into hard work and I look forward to the challenges ahead during my term. This appointment today makes me the youngest female Mayor of Ards and North Down, something that I am very proud of.
Meanwhile, Ms Irwin, who was co-opted to the council last year before her re-election last month, said: “I have been here a relatively short time, but it has been a bit of a whirlwind, the past year or so, and thank you to everyone for their support and kind words during that time."
