AS of midnight on January 1 Kingsteignton became a town and Cllr Mike Walters, former chairman of the parish council, became its mayor.

'My position doesn't alter one iota,' stressed Cllr Walters.

'I will be performing the exact same job, it's just a different voice.'

He said that he would have been more than happy to remain as chairman, but having a mayor at the helm of Kingsteignton carries more weight and would give the new town its distinction from neighbouring Newton Abbot.

Cllr Walters added that his chain of office will, for the moment, remain the same.

'We want to avoid any unnecessary expenditure so there will be no changing of the chain,' he said.

He is interestingly not the first mayor of Kingsteignton.

In 1982 the post was filled after the village declared itself a town.

However there was such uproar from residents that the change lasted all of three months.

It is hoped that this time around Kingsteignton, as a town, will have greater powers in the decision making process of local government, if Devon becomes a unitary authority.

The town council say that their new status will improve the chances of retaining the library and hopefully policing too.

The first council meeting since the change takes place on Wednesday at the community hall, at 7.30pm.