COLEFORD'S longest serving mayor stood down this week after six years in the job. Sue Merrikin says she didn't become mayor with any preconceived ideas and 'gradually grew into the role'. "My first task was to get to know the personalities that make up the council as well as the wider community," she said. "I soon identified that all the Forest towns needed to work together on issues affecting the whole of the district. "I instigated working with the mayors of each town and one of our campaigns was to fight against the proposed car parking charges. "Later, we got involved with working with other market towns in Monmouthshire, Herefordshire and Gloucestershire, all facing similar problems."

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