Getting Teignmouth’s new seafront lights installed and supporting its youth council are top of the priority list for the town’s new mayor.

Lily Chasteau was appointed on after serving as deputy mayor to Cllr Cate Williams for a year. She’s Teignmouth’s first Labour mayor since Mary Kennedy, who served from 2001 to 2002.

However, the mayor’s’ role is non-political, and Cllr Chasteau has emphasised that she will be ‘working across the party spectrum with many excellent colleagues from all backgrounds’ - including her deputy, Cllr Joan Atkins.

She said: “I have had some excellent experience as deputy. Cllr Cate Williams has been a wonderful mentor to me, and shown me the ropes of the practical chairing side, as well as the ceremonial side.

“For myself, my greatest hope and goal is to continue supporting the wonderful and varied my work colleagues have been doing, often behind the scenes, as well as keeping a positive and productive working relationship with the staff, who do such a good job of keeping us all above water.

“I aim to have the seafront lights up and making beautiful Teignmouth even more beautiful before the end of my year.”

The seafront has been without illuminations since 2021 when the lighting columns were removed by Devon County Council for safety reasons. The replacement posts are not suitable for the old style festoon lights, so a new design is being prepared.

Cllr Chasteau added: “I would also like to see the continuation and formalisation of Teignmouth’s Youth Council, something Cllr Cate Williams started, and which has been such a wonderful opportunity for the young people of Teignmouth to demonstrate their community spirit.”

A spokesperson for Teignmouth Town Council said: “Cllr Chasteau has shown real dedication to Teignmouth and to the people who live and work here, and we wish her every success as she takes on this important role.

“We look forward to supporting her during the year ahead and to seeing her continue to champion the town and its community.”