May is creeping up on you! I’m delighted that Melissa Fletcher agreed to be co-opted in February to see if she likes the experience, and we hope others may also.
If you can’t take up the “try-buy” opportunity, then just stand for election cold. You (we) have a really good Parish Clerk in Sue, so it isn’t a hard learning curve. It’s a really worthwhile way to contribute to your village.
What does it entail? Well, firstly, in my view it is nothing to do with politics which have no place in parish councils. I’m not sure they have any place anywhere any more, but that’s another debate for the cynics. At our level, it’s all about trying to find out what residents are concerned about and then trying to achieve the results they, our customers, want. Actually that’s what every enterprise should be about.
You don’t have much of a budget either, so it’s a test of people skills and an engineer’s ability “to do for five bob what any fool can do for a quid”. Try to pick things you can achieve.
Meet people, listen hard, sift out the priorities, decide what’s within your abilities to get done, don’t tilt at windmills, figure out how to get resources (money and minds) on your projects, get everyone on board and then get the tasks done. On time, on budget, and with fun! Yes, fun. That’s why it’s a rewarding job, and you meet some really nice people in Ewelme.
You’ll be very lucky if you don’t upset someone. But try to do it nicely and not too often.
I’m out to grass to develop my grumpy old man training course in retirement.
Thank you all for your good-natured, even if passive support over the last 12 years.
Neil Blake, retiring Chairman of Ewelme Parish Council