The Mayor of Newent, Coun Fred Passant, has been elected for a third term in office.

He was the only nomination at the annual meeting of the town council on Monday.

The deputy mayor, Coun Bill Offord, was also re-elected at the same meeting, again as the only nomination.

The council has agreed to shelve two committee meetings in favour of two full council meetings a month, for a six-month trial period.

The aim is to speed up the decision-making process and give all councillors an earlier input into discussions, no matter what committees they have been serving on.