AN East Dorset councillor has been sworn in as chairman 40 years after he first held the position.

Cllr Derek Burt has now been chairman three times, in 1977-79, 2011-12 and in the present day.

He was sworn in at the Allendale Centre and will be supported in the role by his wife, Janet. He succeeds Cllr David Shortell who has held the position for the last year.

Cllr Burt is a true local man, born in the Victoria Cottage Hospital in Wimborne. He attended Wimborne Boys School and then Queen Elizabeth Grammar School in King Street, Wimborne.

Following in his father and grandfather’s footsteps he joined the Wimborne and Cranborne Rural District Council in 1966. In 1974, the council joined with Wimborne Urban Council to form Wimborne District Council which, in 1988 changed its name to East Dorset District Council.

Cllr Burt represents Corfe Mullen and outside of his commitments to the council, he has been Chairman of East Dorset Heritage Trust for nearly 30 years, President of the Priest’s House Museum for the past 22 years and is a Vice-President of the Wimborne MovieMakers.

Cllr Burt has served as a governor on several local schools and he has maintained, since being a Boy Scout, a keen interest in the Scouting movement and has been Chairman of the East Dorset Scout District Council for many years.

He said: "It is a great privilege to be elected as the chairman of East Dorset District Council for the third time and I look forward to representing the authority within the local community and across the county of Dorset.

Cllr Mrs Toni Coombs was elected to serve as Deputy Chairman.