KEEPING tax increases down to help St Neots people ride out the economic downturn is one of the pledges of the town s new mayor. Last Wednesday (May 6) at the meeting of St Neots Town Council, Cllr Gordon Thorpe was voted into the position, replacing Cll

KEEPING tax increases down to help St Neots people ride out the economic downturn is one of the pledges of the town's new mayor.

Last Wednesday (May 6) at the meeting of St Neots Town Council, Cllr Gordon Thorpe was voted into the position, replacing Cllr Bob Eaton.

Cllr Thorpe said the reason he wanted to be mayor was to help the people of St Neots.

"I want to be there to help the people of St Neots - it's as simple as that," he told The Hunts Post. "It is a difficult time for everyone and people in the town, like everyone else in the UK, are really feeling the pinch in their pockets.

"We, as a town council, are doing our best to keep tax increases down because of the economic downturn and have even put projects on hold, such as the cemetery project, to save taxpayers money."

Cllr Thorpe, who has lived in St Neots since 1996, said he also wanted to bring a sense of community to the town and create more youth facilities.

An increase in youth facilities is also high on the agenda for Cllr Alan Cummings, who to serve a second year as deputy mayor.

He said: "I think it is very important to work hard to bring more youth facilities to the town, so that kids do not hang around on the streets causing anti-social behaviour.