FORMER engineer Councillor Alan Taylor is looking forward to forging new community links in his role as Mayor of Dudley.

After representing Halesowen South ward for 14 years, Cllr Taylor, served as deputy mayor in 2017/18 and took over the role of Mayor during a meeting at Dudley Council House on Thursday night (May 17).

The meeting also raised concerns with the unity within the Conservative ranks after Halesowen North Labour councillor Hilary Bills (pictured below with her consort and husband John Bills) was named as the incoming Deputy Mayor for the year ahead.

Cllr Bills won the battle against Tory councillor Mike Attwood by 35 votes (the exact number of red members on the council) to 30 – leaving seven votes unaccounted for.

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It has been claimed that Cllr Attwood then left the chamber and did not support the vote to reinstate Cllr Patrick Harley as leader.

But Cllr Harley has played down the vote, saying the roles of mayor and deputy mayor should not be political and are a way of “rewarding the work of long-serving councillors – regardless of their politics”.

Cllr Taylor, alongside his wife of more than 60 years Winifred, will be the borough’s first citizens for the next 12 months, choosing to support three local charities, including one based in his home town of Halesowen.

Cllr Taylor’s supported charities have been announced as Headway Black Country, specialising in supporting people with an acquired brain injury; White House Cancer Support, which supports people with cancer, their families and friends; and The Hope Centre, Halesowen, a charity with a Christian ethos which looks to provide practical and emotional support to people at their point of need.

The incoming mayor said: “It’s a real honour to be chosen to serve as Mayor of Dudley and it’s a role Win and I feel privileged to take on.

“We’re looking forward to supporting my three charities and are really keen to work with local businesses and organisations to raise as much money as we can for these and other charitable causes.”

The grandfather-of-four first trained as an engineer in the fastener industry, before moving into the trailer industry. He served as a councillor on Halesowen Borough Council in the 70s, he is keen on sport and they both enjoy holidaying in their caravan.