SALISBURY City Council has confirmed that Andrew Roberts will be the city’s next mayor, |following a meeting of the full council.

Cllr Roberts is currently the deputy mayor and it is |convention in the following year that they become the mayor, barring losing their seat at election time.

It was also decided that Cllr Derek Brown would become the deputy mayor, with both men taking up their posts in May.

Cllr Roberts said after the meeting he has not decided which charity he will support during the year but has |confirmed it will be local.

“I look forward to working with Derek,” he said. “We have had some great mayors over the last few years and, hopefully, I can follow in their footsteps.

Sitting as an independent in a council with no overall control, he currently also serves as leader but wouldn’t confirm if he plans to step down – saying he will make the decision before his term starts.

He added: “Most parish councils don’t have a leader and there is nothing constitutionally that would stop me from doing both jobs.”

Cllr Brown follows in the footsteps of his wife Penny, who served as mayor for a year from May 2013.

He said: “I got plenty of practice last year but I will have a hard act to follow.”