I was very disappointed at the annual council meeting on Monday to see four councillors not supporting the nomination of Hilary Cripps to be the new town mayor.

This lack of unanimous support also happened last year when Coun Allen voted against Graham Francis. It should be the case that the incoming mayor has the unanimous positive support of the whole council.

Maybe the town council should return to the previous system of voting in a mayor-elect at the previous

February meeting who then proceeds to unanimous support on mayor's day itself. Any controversy as to who should be the new mayor is sorted out before actually taking office.

The present system where a councillor is newly elected deputy mayor on mayor's day means that the selection takes place a year ahead of the actual day. The previous system also had the benefit of the retiring mayor becoming deputy and making their expertise available to the new incoming mayor. The most important thing is that the newly elected mayor is seen to have the support of all the councillors in the tasks ahead of her.

D Chandler

Mayor 19711972

Marlborough