RESPECTED Councillor John Lamb has become the 99th Mayor of Southend at a special council meeting.

Cllr Lamb, who went from leader to mayor yesterday, will take on the ceremonial role for the next year.

He said he hopes to spend the next year promoting music in Southend and giving his support to Armed Forces veteran organisations.

He said: “I am looking forward to representing the town and it is a really great honour.

“One of the themes of my time as mayor, I want to promote music across Southend as it can help the whole town and we have so many good things in the musical world with choirs and so on.

“I also want to help and promote the Armed Forces veteran organisations because they do so much good for us and deserve our gratitude and support.

“On Wednesday night we had a Royal Marine concert at the Cliffs Pavilion and that was in support of the Southend Lifeboat and the hospital, on top of that we are hoping to make a generous donation to the current mayor’s charity – Southend In Sight - for allowing us to hold it the night before my year began.

“As Mayor my charity will be the Southend Royal Lifeboat Institution, these guys and girls risk their lives every time they go out on the water or the mud.”

He went on to say he would will miss his role as council leader but feels enthusiastic for the all the projects that moved forward during his administration.

He said: “I will miss being involved in so many different projects that we have been ushering in and driving forward for our town.

“With the money being invested in the town I will certainly support the council in doing whatever I can to promote Southend, which is the best town and hopefully soon to be city, in the whole of Essex.”

Mr Lamb’s wife has also been made mayoress of the borough.

Councillor Mark Flewitt will take on the role of deputy mayor for the forthcoming municipal year.

He has replaced Councillor Ann Holland.