FIVE familiar faces at Ponteland Town Council received a fond farewell from fellow councillors and members of the public at the annual meeting.

Mayor Coun. Carl Rawlings will retire from his duties after three years in his post and a further five years as a councillor before that.

At the meeting he said: “I became mayor in May 2014. I thank my colleagues because it has been an honour to be mayor.

“It is a busy role. You meet many nice people and deal with many issues.”

Coun. Christine Caisley praised Coun. Rawlings for dedicating a great deal of his time to the Ponteland Neighbourhood Plan.

In stepping down, he will be joined by Deputy Mayor Coun. Joyce Butcher, who also took on the role in 2014 and joined Ponteland Town Council in 2003, serving an impressive 14 years.

She sat on the committees for Newcastle Airport and Ponteland Memorial Hall, and was chairman of Ponteland’s Northumbria in Bloom Committee for 10 years.

Coun. Peter Cowey, Coun. Liz Thompson, Coun. Robin Ramsay and Coun. Lesley Noble, who could not attend the meeting, will also step down from Ponteland Town Council after eight years, 10 years, 14 years and four years respectively.

New councillors will be voted for at the town council elections on May 4.

Coun. Rawlings wished the continuing councillors and the new councillors who will start in May “every happiness and success.”