DORCHESTER’S new Mayor David Taylor has promised to focus on community needs during his year.

“We need to remember our fellow citizens…we may need to step in and help one another,” he said at the mayor making ceremony in the Corn Exchange.

Cllr Taylor, 55, said that while the town remained one of the most visited areas in the country and had a rich and vibrant community there were many of its citizens who needed assistance either because of poor mental or physical health, dependency, poverty, debt, or other issues.

He will support four charities during his year – Dorchester Youth Club, HomeStart which works with young families; Mind, the mental health charity and KeeP 106, the community radio station which will start broadcasting in the summer. A summer event in June will help raise funds for the groups.

Born in Sherborne, Cllr Taylor was first elected to the town council in 2011 and to West Dorset District Council in 2015.

He is a member of the town’s Management and Planning and Environment Committees and serves on the Dorchester Joint Heritage Committee and the Dorchester Markets Informal Joint Panel.

Proposing him for the role Cllr Fiona Kent-Ledger said: “He has worked hard to support and promote the town and he loves its neighbourliness and its history.”

Cllr Taylor’s husband, Martin Shepherd, a pharmacist, will be the mayor’s consort, and outgoing mayor Susie Hosford, steps into the role of deputy mayor.

She thanked the town’s organisations for what she described as a brilliant year and paid tribute to her partner, Toni Biondic, for supporting her, keeping her calm and getting to places on time.

She said that during the year she was reminded that the town is ‘buzzing’ with activities and offers something for everyone.

Cllr Robin Potter in his formal vote of thanks to her said she had been “a fantastic ambassador” for the county town.