The new chair of Alsager Town Council was "honoured" to have been elected ahead of a "crucial" civic year.

At last Tuesday's annual meeting, Labour councillor Michael Unett was elected as the new chair of Alsager Town Council for 2021/22 by his fellow councillors.

Eight councillors (all Liberal Democrat representatives and Cllr Jane Smith, of the Animal Welfare Party) voted in favour of Cllr Ron Tyson's proposal for Cllr Unett to become the new chair of the town council.

The proposal had five abstentions from the town council's Conservative councillors and Cllrs Jo Dale and Julia Hawkins, both Labour.

Reacting to his election, Cllr Unett said: "Thank you for placing your trust in me and I am honoured to have been elected as the new chair of the town council for 2021/22.

"I believe the next civic year is going to be a crucial one as we slowly return to some form of normality, and as the council returns back to normal working and begins to see some of our projects come back and we work on new ones moving forward.

"I would like to thank my fellow councillors, our town clerk and council staff and to all those community volunteers for all their hard work during what has been a very difficult and challenging year.

"I want to say thanks in particular to those who work in our NHS, those organisers and volunteers at the Alsager Community Support Centre and all those involved in the successful vaccine roll-out."

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Cllr Unett added: "There has been a tremendous amount of work by so many to help each other whether it be friends, family, neighbours or even complete strangers during this pandemic.

"And even though the community has not been able to physically come together, we have all remained together and I really do believe that shows Alsager at its very best."

The Labour councillor expressed his thanks to Cllr Rod Fletcher, leader of the Liberal Democrats, who was chair of the town council for the past two civic years due to the pandemic.

Cllr Unett said: "I would like to thank Cllr Fletcher for all his hard work, providing a steady hand and leadership through some very difficult and challenging times for the council and town.

"I think he has done exemplary work as the chair of the council for the last two years."

Alsager Foodbank, The British Heart Foundation and White Ribbon UK were chosen as Cllr Unett's charities for the new civic year.

Cllr Phil Williams, of the Liberal Democrats, was elected as the vice-chair of Alsager Town Council at the same meeting.

Conservative councillor Jane Hearne had put forward her political party colleague Sue Helliwell as vice-chair, but that proposal fell with seven councillors voting against, five voting for and the new chair abstaining.

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Cllr Tyson, of the Liberal Democrats, then proposed his party colleague Cllr Williams as vice-chair.

This motion was passed with seven councillors voting in favour, five voting against and again the new chair abstaining.