A TOWN council heralded a new era this week when independent members outnumbered Labour for the first time in decades.

There has been a Labour majority at Spennymoor Town Council since the 1970s but at its annual meeting on Tuesday night the balance shifted.

Before this month’s local elections, the authority was made up of 17 Labour councillors, four members of Spennymoor Independents and an independent member.

It now has 17 Spennymoor Independents, three Labour councillors, one independent and one Liberal Democrat.

The majority group opted not to appoint a leader, having denounced the role when it was held by Councillor Ian Geldard, and instead chose Cllr Liz Maddison to be its spokesperson.

Retiring Mayor Derek Taylor presented £3,242.37 to both Gurkha Welfare Trust and the NSPCC, which he chose to raise money for during his term.

Mr Taylor handed the chains of office to new town mayor Ian Machin who will support 1st Byers Green Scouts, which is based at St Andrew’s Church in the town, and Durham Mining Museum, at Spennymoor Town Hall.

He described the role of Mayor as an ‘honour, privilege and responsibility’.

He said he would do his very best to represent the people of Spennymoor, Tudhoe, Kirk Merrington, Middlestone Moor and Byers Green, chair meetings, champion Spennymoor and engage with communities.

His consort will be wife Jill and Clive Maddison was appointed as deputy mayor, supported by wife Cllr Liz Maddison.

Former leader Cllr Geldard paid tribute to longstanding stalwarts of the council including John Parkin, Jim Graham, John Culine and John Marr who were not re-elected.

He said he was proud of the council’s recent work such as increasing use of the town hall, art gallery and mining museum developments, community events and the standard of Jubilee Park and the town cemeteries.