A NEW chapter has opened at Barrow Borough Council.

Labour’s Cllr Kevin Hamilton steps up to become mayor and chairman of the council for 2019-20 taking over from Cllr Bill McEwan.

Councillor Helen Wall was elected his deputy and Cllr Ann Thomson sworn in as new leader of the council, succeeding councillor David Pidduck.

The appointments were ratified at the annual council meeting on Monday.

Cllr Hamilton, 60, is a former binman for Barrow Council, spending 18 years emptying bins and keeping the streets clean.

The father-of-two and grandfather-of-four was born in Ormsgill and raised in Vulcan Road.

The lifelong Liverpool FC fan is a former taxi driver and has been a county councillor since 1993, representing Risedale.

Cllr Hamilton praised the council’s staff as “magnificent” for its work in recent years. He said: “I want to make Barrow as prosperous as we can and as attractive as possible.”

Turning to the outgoing mayor, Cllr Hamilton quipped: “How do you follow Bill McEwan? You and your good wife have been absolutely wonderful, what a fantastic job you have done.”

Cllr McEwan served a year as mayor with his wife of 29-year Judith, being his mayoress.

The opposition Conservatives hailed Cllr McEwan as the “self-appointed sheriff of Ormsgill”.

Cllr Rory McClure said: “The best compliment we can give you, is that even though you have those dulcet Celtic undertones, you are a true Barrovian.”

Cllr McEwan told the meeting: “We’ve had a fantastic year in our role as mayor and mayoress. We have met some fantastic people. We should be so proud of the talent we have got in this town.”

Cllr Helen Wall was first elected to Barrow Borough Council in 2011 and has served on the licensing committee, overview and scrutiny, and chairs its wildlife and heritage advisory committee. In March, she set up Barrow’s Beautiful Places, a charity dedicated to promoting the local area.

Brought up in Rydal Close, Dalton, her passions are arts, wildlife, heritage and culture. Cllr Wall said: “We are massively unsung and Barrow has quite a unique history and heritage.”

The mum-of-three and grandmother-of-six worked for The Mail for 30 years, in a variety of roles.