THE Mayor of Welshpool, Councillor Steve Kaye, is staying on in the role for another year, due to the coronavirus pandemic.

This will be the fifth year that the Gungrog ward councillor has been mayor of the town, a decision made due to the town council being unable to hold face-to-face meetings.

The council has explored the possibility of meetings being held online, but not all members have the technology or internet access.

Cllr Kaye, who was first elected in 2016, said he was happy and honoured to carry on in the role until May 2021 when members will vote again.

“There’s nothing to worry about, we have had the legislation through from the Welsh Government to allow it,” he said.

“The only reason it has been decided that I’m staying on in the role is because we cannot hold face-to-face meetings at the moment.

“We have had a look at holding meetings online but we can’t do that at the current time as not all members have computers or the internet at home.

“Some councillors are just on the old phone, but it is something we may be able to sort out at a later date, holding meetings online if we can get something in place.”

Cllr Kaye added: “It was decided it would not be fair on the next Mayor either, to take over while all this is going on.

“They would not be able to celebrate with their families, and we don’t know what will be happening with a lot of the events over the next year or so either.

“We hope we will be back to some sort of normality, or a new kind of normal, this time next year. Because I’ve been in the role a few years I can carry it on.”