RETIRED teacher Teslin Davies was officially elected as the new Mayor of Abergavenny in the town’s traditional Mayor Making ceremony at the Borough Theatre on Tuesday.

Councillor Davies, who was born in Abergavenny, was introduced by Councillor Tudor Thomas, who said he had known her for more than 30 years, adding that she was eminently suited to the role of town mayor.

“Teslin was born and brought up in Abergavenny. She and her family moved from the town when she was six and they lived in North Wales and York but they later returned to Abergavenny. After gaining a PGCE she taught in Crickhowell and Blaenau Gwent and after some time working in the field of special needs she returned to teaching at Ystruth Primary in Blaina where she remained until her retirement.

“Councillor Davies was elected to represent Priory Ward last year and has thrown herself into the role of councillor working with the Fair Trade movement and becoming secretary of the Friends of Bailey Park and helping in a most practical way.”

“She is currently working to develop an app to monitor the areas of the town worst affected by dog mess,” he added.

“I am certain that her confidence, experience and dedication will make her an exemplary mayor,” said Councillor Thomas.

Councillor Davies, whose consort will be Erica Pavord, said that she was ‘honoured and humbled’ to be elected to serve as mayor.

“It was not something that I thought of as a young child but I am exceptionally honoured to standing here tonight with these incredible clothes on,” she said.

“It’s not something I ever thought I’d be wearing but I am very honoured to be doing so,” she said.

In her first speech as mayor, Councillor Davies said she hoped that one of the main areas of focus during her year would be to encourage young people to engage with the town council and politics as a whole, adding that she was delighted that members of the King Henry VIII school council had accepted an invitation to the Mayor Making.

“I’m also looking forward to working more with the wonderful team at Bailey Park, headed by Shirley Barnfield…and hopefully encouraging young people to use the park more and working with many more people to make our town even better than it is.

“I’ve been gob-smacked by the number of people who are working to make Abergavenny a great place to live and I’m looking forward to meeting even more of them in the coming year,” said Councillor Davies.

Deputy Mayor for the year will be Councillor Tony Konieczny.

“I’ve known Tony for all of a year,” said Councillor Davies, “But when I first met him I thought ‘there’s a man who knows how to put a sentence together’ and I know that he will be a wonderful deputy mayor. He is chairman and guiding light of Abergavenny in Bloom and over the next year has plans to see all the ‘Friends of’ groups in Abergavenny working together to make the town even more beautiful.”

Concluding her speech, Councillor Davies paid tribute to her ‘wonderful and big’ family and extended family and her husband Alan, who she explained was unable to take on the role of consort due to ill-health.

Earlier in the evening Community Awards were presented to local women, Sue Jones and Alison White for their voluntary and charitable work in the community. The awards promoted jointly by Abergavenny Town Council and the Abergavenny Chronicle are designed to recognise the town’s unsung heroes.

FOR MORE ABOUT THE AWARDS AND PICTURES OF THE EVENING SEE NEXT WEEK’S ABERGAVENNY CHRONICLE