A NEW year brings fresh faces to the helm at Droitwich Town Hall.

Councillor Ann Taft (Con- South East) is settling in well as the new town mayor and has enjoyed her first civic duties.

Elected last month, Cllr Taft has already greeted the Twinning Association from Bad Ems, attended the Redditch Mayor's Ball, "Roll out the Barrel" with the Bible Society and received her first donation to her charities from Professor Sir Frederick Holliday, chairman of Northumbrian Water. Anne is actually the first Mayor of Droitwich Spa to have been born and educated in the town for more than 22 years.

But she comes from a political family and always believed some of it "would rub off in her direction."

Her mother, Ann Sandles, served on both borough and Wychavon councils and her father, Peter Sandles, was a Wychavon and county councillor.

She is married and has a daughter Fiona and son Simon, who will be jointly supporting her as Mayoress and Consort during her year of office.

The new town mayor, whose charities are the Girl Guides and Water Aid, was elected at the Spa's annual meeting with Cllr Richard Morris (Con-South East) as her deputy.

Cllr Morris said: "I look forward to supporting Anne throughout the coming year. I am particularly interested in the canal development and am delighted at the funding towards the new Droitwich surgery."