YORK got its first ever Green Lord Mayor on Thursday, when Cllr Dave Taylor was confirmed in the role for the next year.

Cllr Taylor, who has represented Fishergate on the city council for the last nine year, was elected at the traditional annual meeting of City of York Council and pledged to be "the greenest Lord Mayor in the North".

Cllr Taylor's appointment was formally proposed by the Lib Dem councillor Andrew Waller, who spoke of his background as a council worker in York - starting on a temporary contract as an IT consultant but staying on and working in "everything from accounts to the crematorium".

"There cannot be many previous officers of the council who have become Lord Mayor. I won't say he's the first, because someone always brings up one from the 16th century who you hadn't researched, but he's certainly the first to answer a question by saying 'Have you switched it off and on again?'"

Cllr Waller also paid tribute to the new Lord Mayor's passion for York's history and heritage, which he said puts Cllr Taylor in very good stead for his year as Lord Mayor.

German born Green councillor Lars Kramm seconded Cllr Taylor's nomination, saying: "He will be a different Lord Mayor, not just because he is the first Green Lord Mayor, but also because of his unique character.

He added: "From one foreigner to another, if a Lancastrian can become Lord Mayor of York then anything is possible."

Accepting his new role, Cllr Taylor said it was a huge honour to represent York as Lord Mayor, and he thanked Susan Ridley for taking on the Lady Mayoress's role.

During the ceremonies Jonathon and Brenda Tyler were confirmed as incoming Sheriff and Sheriff's Lady, and the Lord Mayor's charities for the year ahead were named as York LGBT Forum, York Racial Equality Network, St Nick's, and York Civic Trust.

Outgoing Lord Mayor, Cllr Sonja Crisp and Sheriff Brian Smith were formally thanked for their work in the past year.

The meeting is normally a largely ceremonial occasion, but this year councillors also had to confirm Conservative councillor David Carr as council leader taking over from Chris Steward, who stood down after a mini stroke earlier in May.

The authority's new chief executive was also confirmed as Mary Weastell, who will move from the same role at Selby District Council to take over at York.