THE new Mayor of Wantage has pledged to preserve green spaces and help keep the town he loves beautiful.

Conservative Steve Trinder has this week taken over the leadership of Wantage Town Council from fellow Tory StJohn Dickson.

Raised in Wantage and a former pupil at King Alfred's school in the town, Mr Trinder moved back in 2009 with his wife Julia to raise children Ellie and Daniel, now eight and six, after serving with Thames Valley Police at various locations around the South East in a 30-year career.

The 55-year-old said he had fond memories of growing up in Wantage when his father Alan Trinder ran Cleggs chemist on Newbury Street and his mother Margaret ran the art supplies shop next door.

When it was time to raise his own family Mr Trinder said he could not think of anywhere better than Wantage, and the family now lives in Charlton, where the children both attend Charlton Primary School.

When he was invited to stand for the Conservatives on Wantage Town Council five years ago, he admitted public service had not been an ambition, but he said the role had grown on him.

Mr Trinder said he had enjoyed helping local groups apply for council funding and serving as chairman of the town council environmental committee.

To help keep the town even more tidy, he suggested he would look into creating irregular volunteer litter picking days.

He said: "One of my biggest bug bears is litter - I pick it up because it irritates me, so I would like to get a clean-up sorted during my time.

"It can be quite an issue in the town square so I'd like to try and smarten it up.

"We have a great market on Wednesdays and Saturdays so I'd like to help keep that going strong and may be introduce some new signs for it."

Mr Trinder said he was glad the council was setting up a new committee to help manage "green corridors" identified in the draft Wantage Neighbourhood Plan.

On the thousands of new homes being built in Wantage and Grove, Mr Trinder said he was not a fan, but hoped the town could benefit long-term.

He said: "I'm not particularly in favour because I like Wantage as it is, but as long as it comes with money for new infrastructure hopefully it will give the town more life.

"Maybe we'll get some more leisure opportunities like a swimming pool – maybe we'll even get a few more pubs out of it."

In the meantime Mr Trinder said he was looking forward to a busy first few months as town leader, officiating at the Queen's birthday celebrations on June 11 and 12; joining Wantage Carnival on Sunday, July 10, and Wantage Summer Festival throughout June and July.