LYDNEY Town Council has re-elected Councillor Tasha Saunders as Mayor, following its annual meeting at the Council Chambers.

On Monday, May 11, Cllr Saunders was elected for her fifth year as mayor, although she has been a town councillor for six years.

Taking to social media, Cllr Saunders thanked her supporters and praised the work of the council’s team.

Cllr Tasha Saunders, Mayor of Lydney said: “Honestly, I’m incredibly humbled to have been re-elected once again as Mayor of Lydney.

“I want to say a huge thank you to the amazing team around me, the councillors of Lydney Town Council. While I often receive the praise and thanks publicly, the reality is that I could not do this role without them. They are the people who help deliver the things we achieve, support the community day in and day out, and very rarely get the recognition they truly deserve. I am incredibly lucky to work alongside such a committed and supportive team.

“The same goes for our office and grounds team, who make this job so much easier for me, most of the time anyway!. Their professionalism, dedication and capability behind the scenes often go unseen, but they are absolutely vital to everything we do.”

The Mayor also thanked her family, friends, and the Lydney community, for their continued support of her in the role.

Cllr Saunders said: “Thank you to everyone who has continued to have faith in me. Year five is going to be a challenging one.

“But with the team we have in Lydney, I truly believe we will weather the storm. We will continue to work hard, support our community and do our very best for the town we all care so deeply about.”

During her time as Mayor, Cllr Saunders experienced significant challenges. In 2024, the town suffered some of the worst effects of Storm Bert, after the River Lyd burst its banks.

Cllr Saunders said: “On the day of the flooding, there was very limited support available from outside agencies because flooding was affecting communities across the county. It was an incredibly difficult situation, and I am so grateful that the people of Lydney stepped up to help one another, because without that community spirit, I honestly do not know where we would have been.”

However, the Mayor has also enjoyed many achievements, such as bringing back the town’s Christmas events and parade.

Cllr Saunders added: “There was a real need to rebuild community confidence after Covid.

“Many people were left feeling isolated, anxious and apprehensive about returning to public spaces and large gatherings. By working to make our community events bigger, more inclusive, diverse and welcoming, I believe we have started to restore that lost sense of togetherness and community spirit.

“Seeing families, friends and neighbours coming back together and enjoying these events again has been incredibly rewarding”.

Along with Cllr Tasha Saunders’ re-election, Lydney Town Council also re-elected Cllr Roger Holmes as Deputy Mayor.

A Lydney Town Council spokesperson said: “We look forward to their continued leadership and dedication to our community over the coming year.”