OUTGOING Basingstoke mayor, Cllr Rose Wellman, has officially handed the chains of office to her successor, Cllr Rita Burgess.

The civic ceremony took place on Thursday evening at the annual meeting of Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council, where Cllr Burgess formally accepted her office.

The new mayor, a Conservative councillor for Kempshott, appointed Gerry Traynor, a Labour councillor for South Ham, as her deputy.

Cllr Wellman announced that a grand total of £43,595 had been raised for this year's mayor's charity, which will be used to purchase a cataract removal machine for Basingstoke hospital.

She said: "I hadn't expected anything like that amount of money.

"This machine is the very latest technical advance and will make these operations quicker."

Cllr Wellman also gave an Award for Business to local pharmaceutical company Eli Lilly, and two individual awards to outstanding citizens.

Joan Walker, from Kingsclere, was recognised for nearly 40 years of voluntary service to the British Red Cross, and Shirley Thompson, from Ecchinswell, received an award for more than 40 years' contribution to the Guiding movement.

Speaking after the ceremony, Cllr Wellman said the evening had been an emotional ex-perience.

"I couldn't have enjoyed my year as mayor more," she added.

* See Friday's Gazette for an interview with the new mayor.