Pictured: Former mayor Robert Jones alongside new mayor Mark Forsyth

Bradley Stoke’s new mayor has been named as Councillor Mark Forsyth, following the town council Annual General Meeting.

Cllr Forsyth replaces Robert Jones who stepped down from his post after 12 months.

Speaking at the AGM, Cllr Forsyth said it is a “great honour” to take up the role adding that although he does not live in the town but will do his best to serve it.

Meanwhile, the mayor’s charity – the National Association for Colitis and Crohn’s – were given a cheque worth almost £7,000.

The money came from various fundraising activities during Cllr Jones’ tenure including the annual festival and fireworks display.

Click more below for our blow-by-blow coverage of the meeting.

The Bradley Stoke Town Council Annual General Meeting is taking place from 7.30pm at the Jubilee Centre.

Latest news:
• Cllr Mark Forsyth voted in as mayor
• Almost £7,000 raised for mayor’s charity
• Youth centre move will now not happen until October
• Councillor surgeries to move to town centre

9.06pm: Meeting over — pictures to follow later.

9.03pm: Cllr Ben Walker talks now about the Bradley Stoke Business Forum. He suggests any time the council require a service they’ll go through the forum first to “keep business local”. Everyone is happy with the suggestion.

8.58pm: The vote is passed – they will be moving. 6 June is the first one.

8.57pm: Jon Williams argues that when they were in a prominent position in the old Tesco they were popular but have become less popular since they’ve been in the library/leisure centre.

8.56pm: Scott Lahive, the centre’s manager, is happy for the monthly meetings to move.

8.55pm: Talking now about whether the councillor surgeries should move the The Willow Brook Centre.

8.54pm: They’re now talking over having a member of the standards committee to come in and explain their role. They’ll be invited to a future meeting after a vote.

8.50pm: Beacon play scheme: a site meeting took place yesterday (Tuesday), the team are being briefed next week and the diggers move in after the bank holiday. David Chandler says it won’t delayed the opening date at the end of July.

8.48pm: Mayor Forsyth says he’ll stump up the £50 fee if he can find five other batsmen – unsurprisingly quite a few put their hands up.

8.46pm: A 127-signature petition has been delivered to South Gloucestershire Council asking for a zebra crossing near Wheatfield School, says councillor Jon Williams. Part of their travel plan which we’ve covered elsewhere on the website.

8.44pm: On to the planning committee minutes.

8.43pm: Mobile cleaning operative van costs £229-per-month if you’re interested.

8.42pm: Wrangling over the cost of the playing field at the Jubilee Centre.

8.36pm: Considering Finance & Leisure minutes: The bill for delivery of the annual report is “under negotiation”.

8.33pm: Working party to look at office relocation: They’ll consider current site, new site, council property site. Six put their names down. Dates to be circulated.

8.30pm: Dates set now.

8.26pm: Wrangling now over when the dates for the youth sub-committee will take place. John Ashe argues Wednesdays are tough because of clashes with South Gloucestershire meetings. There seems to be a consensus that 4pm meeting would help involve the town’s youths.

8.18pm: Youth work update: Clerk David Chandler has an update from the district council. July opening for new youth services at Brook Way has been pushed back until 1 October.

8.12pm: Questions from the public. Stephen from the Journal asks about the distribution of the annual report. David Chandler says they sub-contracted the work to deliver them and some 1,000 may not have been delivered. Bailey’s Court Primary School got 200, would you believe.

8.03pm: Year-end figures and being distributed. Budget was 99.69% – and expenditure 92.9%. Year-end surplus for 2008/09: £44,021.66. Some of this will be used to cover for the zero precept rise. Surplus is expected to be £19,267 by March 2010.

7.56pm: Co-operative is going to continue providing banking for the town council.

7.53pm: John Ashe nominates Robert Jones to be press spokesman which he accepts.

7.51pm: They’re now talking through appointments for different charities and committees.

7.47pm: Youth sub-committee now – few rumbles over a lack of members. Bradley Stoke Community School head Dave Baker could be co-opted onto it, if needed.

7.46pm: Committee members for the various areas are being voted in.

7.45pm: Cllr Ben Walker is voted in as vice chair of the council.

7.42pm: More pictures of the new mayor taken – although I did stand on his stair. Cllr Forsyth says it is a “great honour” to take up the role. He makes reference to not living in the town but will do his best to serve it. Local charity for the year is the Bristol Dyslexia Centre, a condition his son suffers from. National charity is The British Limbless Ex-Service Men’s Association.

7.38pm: Cllr Mark Forsyth is nominated – and voted in – as the new mayor of Bradley Stoke.

7.37: Cllr Brian Hopkinson pays tribute to the amazing amount of money raised.

7.36pm: Cheque is handed over to Georgie Bigg from the NACC.

7.32pm: Cheque for NACC – Cllr Jones thanks all those who have contributed an amazing £6,993.95 – a new record.

7.31pm: Mayor Robert Jones opens the meeting with “mixed emotions” as his last in the hot seat.

7.30pm: We’re here. Lovely sunny day out and I bagged the window seat!