The mayoral chains have been handed over at Whitehill Town Council to fulfil a councillor’s promise.

Bordon is home once again to “East Hampshire’s coolest mayor” as Cllr Leeroy Scott is back in the hotseat.

The councillor for Whitehill Pinewood was the popular winner on local election night with the charismatic Jamaican being unanimously voted in.

Cllr Scott said “I’ll be back” to the Herald after his previous stint ended in spring 2024 – so it was pleasing for his pledge to come true on Thursday evening.

“It’s good to be back here because I love serving my community,” said Cllr Scott, who was nominated for the position of mayor and WTC chair by Cllr Andy Tree.

“It was a little expected, because some of the councillors who wanted to be mayor couldn’t do it this year, but it’s still a great honour.”

Cllr Scott has yet to confirm his mayoral charities for the coming year but a fundraising concert has been pencilled in for The Phoenix on August 30.

And he’s also helping people way beyond the borders of Whitehill & Bordon, as his November appeal to help victims of Hurricane Melissa in his Caribbean homeland has raised more than £5,200 and counting.

Cllr Scott also had kind words for Cllr Catherine Clark after the latter concluded her mayoral term, saying: “She has done a tremendous job.”

“I’ve loved every minute of it and I really wanted to carry on,” said Catherine, who raised £2,542 for Peer Talk during her year in office.

Councillors also voted Cllr Kirsty Mitchell as WTC deputy mayor and vice-chair, while Cllr Tree was unanimously re-elected leader for another year.

And there was also a round of applause after Cllr Yee Gan Ong thanked his county and district counterparts for their efforts on behalf of W&B residents.