RETIRED maths teacher Robin Potter has become Dorchester’s mayor – for the third time.

At a ceremony in the Corn Exchange he re-stated the town council’s opposition to 3,500 new homes north of Dorchester which, he said, would also result in the loss of the County Showground.

Cllr Potter said that he had seen Dorchester continue to grow with the Duchy’s Poundbury development now almost completed although the former prison site is still awaiting redevelopment.

He praised outgoing mayor, Alistair Chisholm, who has now stood down as a town councillor and town crier.

“He will be a hard act to follow. I won’t be as colourful, or as loud, but I will be loud in my support of Dorchester,” said Cllr Potter.

He will be supported during his year by wife, Val, also a retired teacher, as mayoress, with Cllr Janet Hewitt as deputy mayor.

Proposing Cllr Potter for the role Cllr Molly Rennie acknowledged the incoming mayor’s 28 years of service to the town as a councillor and also his support for local sport as a cricket umpire and football referee.

She said that he had taken part in five of the town’s community plays, each time rising in social status – from a serf, to a peasant, an alderman, and most recently as Lord Digby.

She described Cllr Potter as someone who understands the community and the needs of the town.

Outgoing mayor Alistair Chisholm said he ended his year still hoping, with a change of administration at County Hall, that Dorchester could take over the running of the town’s markets with Dorset Council ending its dominant role in the shared venture.

“Let’s get our market back. We’re a market town, why can’t we run our own market?” he said.

He also paid tributes to town council staff, whose patience he said had been tested by him during his year, and partner Kate Hebditch for her support as mayoress.