HIGHLIGHTING opportunities for young people and recognising their achievements will be a key focus for Wigan borough’s new first citizen.

Labour’s Steve Dawber was sworn in as mayor at a town hall ceremony on Wednesday.

The Wigan West representative has chosen his son, Oliver Waite, to serve as mayoral consort for the year.

It means the 18-year-old will be the youngest person ever to serve the borough in that role.

Cllr Dawber said he hoped to promote the borough as an "innovative and diverse" place to live.

The spotlight on the borough’s youth population comes as council leader David Molyneux has added a new lead member to the ruling cabinet with a focus on young people.

And the new mayor will be raising funds for both Wigan Youth Zone and The Willow Project, a counselling service based in Atherton and Golborne, as his official charities.

They have been chosen following discussions with the town’s youth cabinet, he told colleagues.

Cllr Dawber, who has been a councillor since 2008, said: “These are times of huge change, yet Wigan borough will move confidently forward as a result of all the hard work and dedication of our council officers, members and leaders.

“The theme for my mayoral year is youth and through this I am hoping to promote our borough, its people and future as a positive, energetic, innovative and diverse place to live, work and raise our children.

“A borough that we can all be proud of, that looks after its young and welcomes newcomers; is progressive, forward-looking and ambitious.”

Cllr Michael McLoughlin, who represents Wigan Central, was elected as deputy mayor for the year.

Earlier this week it was revealed that Cllr Susan Gambles had been added to the ranks of the ruling cabinet in a newly created role for Youth Opportunities.

Cllr Molyneux said the move would formalise the relationship between youth organisations and elected members.

“I felt this was something we needed to address, to have someone to reflect the views of our 16 to 18 year olds, our young people,” he told the Local Democracy Reporting Service.