A COUNCIL has appointed a dance teacher as its new chairman.

Adur District Council’s Andy McGregor has vowed to “put his best foot forward” in serving the area’s residents for the next year in office.

The Widewater ward representative and dancing ace was confirmed in the role at the local authority’s annual meeting last week.

As first citizen of the district, Cllr McGregor – who swapped a career in medical research and pharmaceuticals to become a dance teacher – will represent the council at community and civic events for the next year.

As a former champion fencer, martial arts enthusiast and keen racing sailor, he has plenty of interests away from the council chamber.

He also regularly features as an extra dancing in television programmes – and has cameo appearances in TV’s Midsomer Murders and a remake of Dirty Dancing to his name.

But the council said his focus for the next year would be on representing the communities of Adur while raising funds for his chosen charities, Safe In Sussex, West Sussex Mind and the Supeta youth sailing training vessel in Shoreham.

Cllr McGregor takes over the civic chains from Councillor George Barton, praised for the “big smile and big personality” he brought to the role.

Cllr Barton said: “What a year it’s been, I don’t think anyone will have quite the year I have had, particularly with what has happened in the last few months due to this terrible disease.”

During his term in office, Cllr Barton attended more than 100 community events and raised £2,500 for his chosen charity Electric Storm Youth in Lancing.

Paying tribute to his work, Councillor Carson Albury said: “George has been wonderful and shown so much enthusiasm in office.

“To be involved in so many different ways – schools, hospitals, community groups, picking litter, planting trees – he has displayed so much energy and I know he has enjoyed every single minute of it.

“His eagerness to attend everything he has been invited to with a big smile and big personality has been tremendous, he really has been absolutely marvellous as chairman.”

Councillor Stephen Chipp, who represents Southwick Green, will serve as vice chairman for the coming year.

Dancing is not as unusual a hobby for a councillors as it might seem.

Brighton and Hove city councillor for Patcham Carol Theobald has a passion for dance. Councillor Theobald once told The Argus her biggest fear in life was not being fit enough to enjoy her Latin routines.