THE new mayor of Ellesmere Port is Cllr Angela Claydon, whose family has lived in the area for more than 300 years.

A former primary school teacher specialising in special needs, she first taught at William Stockton Primary School, Ellesmere Port, and then set up the Special Unit at Woodfall Infants School, Little Neston.

In 1996 Cllr Claydon was elected to Ellesmere Port and Neston Borough Council and served on several committees, including planning, and was vice chairman of leisure, personnel and environment. She was also chairman of the housing committee.

In 2008 Cllr Claydon was elected to Cheshire West and Chester Council and is a member of the strategic planning committee, opposition spokeswoman for Ellesmere Port housing, and sits on the shadow executive as spokesperson for culture and leisure. She was deputy mayor for Ellesmere Port for 2009-10.

She is grandmother to 11-month-old Isaac and her interests include reading and working on her family tree, folk music and travel. She is also a keen theatre-goer, especially enjoying Shakespeare and ballet.

Cllr Claydon said: “I am really looking forward to my year as Mayor of Ellesmere Port. I want to raise the profile of both the mayor and the town, and help to make people proud of our town.

“I plan to focus on children, and hope to visit every school in Ellesmere Port during the year, demonstrating elements of citizenship to the children, and showing them how a council and a community works.

“My charity fundraising will be for local children’s charities and groups. I intend to hold a Civic Sunday, and several fundraising events – including a folk concert, special nights, and a mayor’s ball in December.

“I also hope that as many organisations and groups as possible will ask me to attend their special events. I will do my very best to attend them all.”

The deputy mayor is Cllr Gareth Anderson, who was mayor of Ellesmere Port last year.