The mayor of Ramsey, Councillor Doug McIlwain, has spoken about his plans for the town after he was re-elected for a second term.

Cllr McIlwain was chosen as mayor following a unanimous vote at a town council meeting on Thursday, where he spoke about his plans to grow Ramsey.

Cllr McIlwain hopes to encourage more people to move into the town, as well as promoting new development.

Councillor Steve Corney was appointed deputy mayor for the first time, succeeding Councillor Adela Costello.

Cllr McIlwain said: “It feels fantastic I am so pleased that [councillors] have found it in them to trust me again to do it for another year.

“It’s a real honour to be mayor of Ramsey. This is such a special little town where the passion is so intense for Ramsey which I never appreciated until I took on the job.

“And I have another year so my work will continue. I said last year that I wanted to put Ramsey on the map and I think I’ve helped do that and now I want to build on it. I think mainly my it’s more the same.”

Cllr McIlwain said that the only way to grow the town is to increase the amount of development taking place.

He said: “I want to build Ramsey, and I’d like to get some more development, which might not be popular in certain circles, but it will be popular in others. I’d like to see some more people come to Ramsey, certainly with our heritage, and with our historic sites, and I think just rather than just talk actually get something done.

“That means discussing stuff with the district council, and discussing stuff with county and not just sitting back and being the poor relation in the relationship.

“Huntingdon and St Neots are fantastic places, but look what they have got and look what they have been given, we want some of it now. And I will be asking for our slice of the cake.”

Cllr McIlwain also said that he was looking forward to working with the new town council.

He said: “It feels great to have a new deputy, Adela was fantastic, but Steve is a good lad and he is the future, and has just been elected to district council, so I am looking forward to working with him.

“He’s really great and has a lot of enthusiasm, he was born in Ramsey and works here, so I am really looking forward to working with him and making a difference.

I am really happy with the team. There’s no point having people on the council just for the sake of it, and the people of Ramsey they did the right thing.

“They put experience back on the council, but they took a chance with a couple of councillors, which I am fairly sure won’t let them down.

“It’s all about what is right for Ramsey now not what is right for our political paymasters, I know that that is controversial, and some people won’t like me saying that, but that is reality.”