FAIRWATER councillor Philip Seabourne has been chosen as the mayor of Torfaen council for 2011/2012.

Cllr Seabourne was elected at a council meeting on Tuesday night and said it was "a great honour" to be elected to the role.

The councillor, who last year held the role of deputy mayor, will be joined by his wife Rosemarie who will act as his consort.

Abersychan councillor Wayne Tomlinson was elected as the new deputy mayor.

Cllr Seabourne said: "It's a great honour to have the support of the majority of the councillors in Torfaen.

"Torfaen has just launched its second corporate plan and I have chosen the vulnerable within our society as the theme for my year. That would cover most of the themes in the corporate plan together with the frailty programme."

Cllr Seabourne served as a community councillor for five years in 1999 and was its chairman in 2002-2003.

The new mayor, who was made redundant from Panteg Steelworks in 1996 after 30 years service, was elected as a borough councillor in 2004 and re-elected for a second term in 2008.

Cllr Seabourne was also a keen swimmer and worked as coach for Torfaen Swim Squad before retiring from swimming in 2005.

The new mayor's nominated chosen charities are the British Heart Foundation Cymru, Torfaen and District Multiple Sclerosis Society and Tenovus Mobile Cancer Support Unit.

Cllr Seabourne replaces Blaenavon ward councillor Tom Huish who served as mayor of the borough for 2010/2011.

Tuesday's meeting also saw Greenmeadow councillor Bob Wellington re-elected as leader of the council and Trevethin councillor Lewis Jones re-elected as deputy leader.