Parish Magazine for July
The Outreach Parish Magazine is now completed for July. Since it stopped going through doors in Pendeen, Morvah and surrounding hamlets, some folks will not be reading it so regularly, so I’ve decided to put what I write on my website, once the magazine is in print. Some folk have always had to collect it from a local shop, pub or the Library but for others, access has become more challenging. For those wanting to catch up with the full magazine, click Here
St Just Town Council
My piece for July is below.
Sue James, Still St Just Town Mayor!
Sorry to disappoint those hoping for someone new to write in Outreach but at our Town Council AGM on Monday 15 May, I was the only nomination for Mayor so take on the role for the 3rd year, unopposed. I did also hold the role for a year 2012/13 so, by the end of this administrative year I will have held the post for 4 years. I suppose it means I know the ropes and whilst I get regular invites from across Cornwall to attend many marches and ceremonial events, I am very discerning in which I accept, applying the test of will this benefit local residents or is it a good cause.
The same meeting also voted for Daisy Gibbs to continue as Deputy Mayor so we continue as the dynamic duo!
Just when I celebrate some stability for Town Council, our Town Clerk, Cas Leo has given us notice of his retirement at the end of July. As he gave us plenty of notice, the recruitment process to select a replacement will be well advanced by the time you are reading this; I may even know the name and start date.
In other Town Council staffing news, we have a new and much younger member of the staff who has joined the team. We have appointed Callum Evans as our Business Administrator Apprentice. He will work and learn across Town Council and Library functions. He is local and those that follow the Pendeen Weather Watch Facebook page will be familiar with him and his social media skills….which we hope he might bring to the Town Council.
July is the month I have to think about Mayor’s Sunday; I’ve had 3 of those and each has been very different! The first, back in 2012, I did on a Friday evening at Cape Cornwall School, with the school kitchen providing a sit down meal for representatives of all our community groups; this was just after they had won a National contest to provide something for a tea party being hosted by the Queen so I felt, “Good enough for the Queen, good enough for the Mayor!” The 2nd was as we were finding our way out of the pandemic and many of our community groups were struggling financially and to recruit volunteers so I put on a session for them, at the WI hall where residents could wander in, remind themselves of our rich and diverse community and get involved. Neither of those approaches were very traditional, although the 2nd did at least take place on a Sunday! I did come in for some criticism for that so, last year I went traditional, whilst keeping our community groups as the focus of the morning. Last year we had a parade to the church in St Just, a service led by Reverend Karsten Wedgewood, then back to the Old Town Hall for refreshments.
So, what for this year? I got very positive feedback from last year (and the year before) so I’m tempted to do some kind of combination of those 2 years although a very different radical idea is in my head. If I thought it would work, I would ask Foodbank and Streetfood Project to send an invite to all the local people who have needed their services in the last 12 months and invite them for a meal somewhere local, with an optional church service for all the volunteers that keep those projects going. I am aware that many might not want to come but I would hope some would. By the time I write again, I will have to have decided as arrangements will need to be underway for mid September. I’m happy for any views on where I pitch it from a very traditional civic event to a community gathering/ celebration or an event that reaches out to those in our community that might struggle at times. I might also bring it to Pendeen as it does usually take place in St Just, although I remember the late Monty Nicholls held it in Pendeen.
I’m going to finish with one of those enjoyable events as Mayor. I went along to St Just cubs and scouts combined meeting. I spoke to them a little regarding the role of St Just Mayor and how chosen and making it clear my powers were not as extensive as Elected Mayors for London, Manchester etc. They were very interested in the Mayoral Chain made with Geevor Tin and the names of passed Mayors engraved on small tin bars around the chain. They asked good questions like “What will we do when we run out of bars to engrave Mayor’s Names?” There are only 7 blanks left and I will take 1 of those. Another one was “Can I tell people off and tell people what they must do?” Interesting thought but I’m not sure we will be amending the constitution to grant those powers to future Mayors’!