East Hampshire District Council elected Cllr Adam Carew as its chairman for the coming year, during its Full Council meeting on Thursday 29 April.
Cllr Carew replaces Cllr Keith Budden who spent two years in the role due to the impact of the coronavirus pandemic.
While in office, the Chairman, a non-political position, chairs EHDC’s Full Council meetings, supports local events and functions, raises money for charity and furthers the interests and reputation of the council.
Cllr Carew will also maintain links between the council and other organisations, both voluntary and commercial, and promote the district on visits elsewhere.
Cllr Adam Carew, Chairman of East Hampshire District Council, said: "It is a great honour to represent the council as its chairman and I am thankful to my colleagues for giving me this opportunity.
"Obviously we all have to wait and see how the country will emerge from the pandemic and how quickly restrictions will be peeled back, but I am hopeful that I will soon be able to attend functions in person, meet our residents and do what I can to support the great communities of East Hampshire."
Traditionally the Chairman selects at least one local charity to support and will use the profile of the office to raise funds and attract publicity for those charities during the year.
This year Cllr Carew has chosen the Woolmer Forest Heritage Society, which is raising money towards a new Heritage Centre for the Whitehill and Bordon Area, and the Tree Council, to plant community orchards across the district.
The outgoing Chairman, Cllr Budden, raised more than £2,000 for his charities The Crossover Centre, Liss and Dementia Friendly Hampshire.
At the same meeting Cllr Sally Pond was elected as the council’s Vice Chairman.
On stepping down, Cllr Keith Budden, said: “It has been an honour and privilege to be the first Chairman of EHDC to serve for more than one year since the creation of EHDC in 1974.
“The last 12 months have been like no other in the lifetimes of many of the residents of East Hampshire. I want to take a moment to record my pride in every one of my fellow EHDC councillors, Gill Kneller and the senior management team and every EHDC officer for the way we have all come together to serve the residents of East Hampshire through the Covid-19 pandemic.
“Looking back on my two years, I have had so many memorable events it is difficult to pick the highlights, but for me they would have to be seeing the Alton and the Whitehill & Bordon Leisure Centres come to life, attending a Buckingham Palace garden party, and, from an EHDC perspective, seeing through the review of our Constitution and seeing positive improvements already being implemented following the Governance Review. I am delighted to be handing the Chairman’s position on to Cllr Adam Carew. I’m confident he will do a great job and I hope he gets as much enjoyment and fulfilment from the role as I have.”