Photo Artz Centre, Skelmersdale

Councillor Gaynar Owen has taken over the chains of office as Mayor of West Lancashire and is looking forward to her new role.

Over the next 12 months Councillor Owen will perform many important duties as Mayor including representing the Borough at civic events.

She has been an Up Holland Ward Councillor since 2012 and has chosen Crawford Village Hut and Play Park and Up Holland Scout Group (51^st Ormskirk) as her worthy causes to support during her Mayoral year. Her Mayoress will be her friend and neighbour Lisa Packer. with Rev Pauline Bicknell from Ormskirk Parish Church her Chaplain.

Councillor Owen said: "I am looking forward to my Mayoral year and I want to promote West Lancashire and events taking place here.

"I have been Deputy Mayor for the past 12 months and I have really enjoyed meeting people from all over West Lancashire. I am looking forward to meeting many more of you.

"I have also enjoyed meeting Mayors from other areas and seeing people from outside West Lancashire this will help me to continue to promote the Borough and exciting events held here. These include the new cinema experience at the Chapel Gallery, which I was lucky enough to attend the launch of this month."

Councillor Owen was born in Ormskirk and was one of the first families to live in new homes built on Lancaster Crescent when her family moved to Skelmersdale during her childhood. She was a pupil at Brookfield Primary School and Glenburn School and upon finishing there she went to work in the office and on reception at Stratford-upon-Avon Canners.

She then had a similar role at Dewrance, a company which made pipes for the power industry, before moving into the firm's production and inventory control team; the final 10 years of her working life were spent at Hannah Food Service, where she started in telesales before becoming the off-site purchaser.

As well as being Deputy Mayor in 2018/19 she has also served as Chairman of the Licensing and Appeals Committee and Vice-Chairman of the Licensing and Gambling Committee. She has also served on the Funding of Voluntary Bodies and other Orgnisations Cabinet Working Group and the Planning Committee.

The new Deputy Mayor of West Lancashire is Councillor Terry Aldridge from Moorside Ward. He's been on the Council since 1990 and has served the Council in a number of roles during his time. His current Council duties include being a member of the Audit and Governance Committee - his Deputy Mayoress will be Megan Aldridge.