WORCESTER'S new mayor has spoken of his joy at taking on the prestigious role.

Aubrey Tarbuck was last night confirmed as the city's first citizen after spending a year as deputy mayor.

The 75-year-old said he wanted to use the position to boost the regeneration of Worcester.

"I'm proud of being a civic head of Worcester city," said Coun Tarbuck following his investiture at the Guildhall.

"I'm worried about the city from the point of view it needs regenerating. Lots of businesses are failing and I think we need better infrastructure. We need to attract people in here to shop and I hope I can flag that up."

Coun Tarbuck, who lives in Hallow, just north of Worcester, paid tribute to outgoing mayor Coun Allah Ditta who attended more than 1,000 official functions.

"He did a terrific job. It is going to be difficult to follow on but I will give it my best shot."

Coun Tarbuck attended Royal Grammar School, Worcester, before joining city-based chartered accountants EH Butler as a clerk.

He later moved to the county council's audit department and then Lloyds Bank where he remained until retiring as a senior officer in Droitwich in 1989.

He has a love of horses and helped train winning National Hunt racehorses including Jim Dandy, Fair Oaks and Silver.

After representing the Nunnery ward for several years until 1971, he was relected to the city council to represent St Peter's in 1998.

Coun Tarbuck hit the headlines last year when the Worcester News revealed he is a Freemason, something he defends, calling the secretive body 'a genuine society of honourable men'.

The Worcester Cathedral Music and Light Appeal, the Volunteer Bureau and Worcester Eye Unit Trust Fund have been chosen as the mayor's charities.

Coun Ian Imray was elected to be this year's deputy mayor, the role that usually leads to becoming the next mayor.

Questions raised over mayor's allowance increase

OPPOSITION councillors have attacked a decision to increase the mayor's allowance after it was due to be slashed as part of council-wide cutbacks.

The cash pot available to the city's mayor to throw functions like banquets was reduced to £4,940 as part of £800,000 savings in this year's budget.

But last night the ruling Conservative group said a £4,000 'underspend in the civic budget' meant the total could be restored to normal - a figure of £8,950.

Labour councillor and former mayor Jo Hodges said she backed the larger amount but accused leaders of 'playing games'.

"Having cut the allowance by £4,000, suddenly there is an underspend. Now that's what I call a coincidence," she said.

"Or is it a cunning plot? If I was suspicious I might say they made a magnanimous gesture to save money so other services being cut back thought 'oh, well, at least they are making sacrifices too'."

Council leader Stephen Inman said the underspend was genuine and could not have been forecast when the budget was set.

Councillors backed the increase by 26 votes to none, with seven abstentions.