THE new chairman of Craven District Council has promised to inject humour and a sense of informality into future meetings.

Craven's new first citizen, Cllr Chris Moorby told fellow councillors he was wearing a red and gold House of Gryffindor tie - for anyone who did not know - from the Harry Potter books.

"Hopefully, it will bring a touch of wizardry to this council chamber," he told last night's annual council meeting.

Cllr Moorby, who represents the Long Preston ward, said he wanted to bring a sense of informality to meetings and hoped everyone would work together for the benefit of Craven.

"I am going to keep meetings as informal as possible, with a touch of light heartedness,"he said.

He would be supporting Marie Curie Cancer Care during his year in office, because of the devastating effect cancer had had on both members of his own family and on council colleagues, he said.

He commented that as a long standing parish councillor, he had not thought of standing for the district council, until he had been encouraged to do so.

He had thought it would be possible to ignore party politics, but had discovered it was not always possible to do so.

Cllr Moorby, a haulage contractor who has been on the council since 2012 and who has lived in Long Preston all his life, will be accompanied on his civic duties by his wife, Janet.

He paid tribute to outgoing chairman, Cllr Robert Mason, and said he hoped to be able to do as good a job representing Craven.

Cllr Mason told the meeting he had enjoyed his year in office hugely and paid tribute to his wife and consort, Margaret.

Highlights of his year had been visits to Menwith Hill, the Tour de Yorkshire and attending a Buckingham Palace garden party.

"I was really honoured and chuffed to be chosen as chairman, and always tried to do my best," he said.

Council leader, Cllr Richard Foster, paid tribute to Cllr Mason, saying he was a true man of Craven who had brought his own 'inimitable style' to the position of chairman.

Cllr Stephen Place, member for Sutton-in-Craven was elected vice chairman, and should become chairman in 2017.