A NEW mayor has taken the helm for the second half of Bournemouth’s bicentenary year and beyond.

At his mayor making in the Pavilion Theatre, Cllr Barry Goldbart looked forward to the Imax building’s future, the new Pavilion Dance Centre and granting the Freedom of the Borough to the Rifles.

Confirming Rabbi Neil Amswych as his chaplain, he pledged to support Bournemouth companies.

“I will do all that I can to encourage local businesses of all sizes to expand and prosper and to encourage new businesses to set up in the town,” he said.

“We have so much to offer in terms of a business environment and life/work balance that few other areas of this country can match.”

Cllr Goldbart’s charities are the Firefighters Charity, Bournemouth Society for the Visually Impaired, Wessex Autistic Society and Youth Cancer Trust.

Rhys Nathanuel Branch and Jessica Pike are his Mayoral Scout and Guide.