A TOWN’S mayor has been elected for a record fifth time.

Councillor John Forrest, was elected at the annual meeting of Northallerton Town Council with Councillor John Prest elected as his deputy.

Cllr Forrest has been a town councillor since 2009 and was first elected Mayor in 2013. He said: “It is a great honour to be elected again. The town is undergoing major changes with the development of the Treadmill site at the former prison and the North Northallerton housing development and I am interested to see how these progress. They did promise a school and a doctors surgery at North Northallerton and it’s important that these are built.

“The new Business Improvement District is really trying to enhance the town. They are looking at new things to promote Northallerton, and I am keen to support them in every way I can."