Youth no barrier for new town clerk (From Chard & Ilminster News)

Youth no barrier for new town clerk

6:40pm Wednesday 10th December 2008 in Chard

A CHARD councillor is relishing the prospect of tackling another job in local government after be-coming a town council clerk at the age of just 24.

David Mears is delighted to have been given the job of overseeing Sea-ton Town Council.

He says his role as a councillor on Chard Town Council and his Con-servative political views will not sway his work as a council officer.

“My work as a councillor in Chard and my work as a town clerk at Sea-ton will be kept entirely separate,” said the former Holyrood School student.

“It is going to be a big challenge and I’m really looking forward to it. A lot of regeneration work will be going on in Seaton and it is going to be an exciting time for the town.

“I’m only 24, and I imagine I must be one of the youngest town clerks in the country, but there is a 21-year-old councillor at Seaton and I think she’s quite pleased to have another youngster about!”

Mr Mears has been shadowing acting clerk Phil Higginson and is expected to take over the hot seat in the New Year.

A gardener by trade, Mr Mears, who became a member of Chard Town Council at last year’s local elections, got a taste of how local councils worked by becoming clerk at Buckland St Mary Parish Council in June.

He stood in this summer’s Chard by-elections for South Somerset District Council but lost out in the poll to LibDem candidate Cllr Jenny Kenton.

But Mr Mears said: “I’m quite glad I didn’t win that now because I wouldn’t have been able to take on this job at Seaton.

“Although I enjoy my role as a councillor, and for the time being I’m planning to continue with that, I’m starting a whole new profession and career with this new job.

“It is strange how things work out, and I would never have thought I’d end up doing this, but I’m really looking forward to it.”

Mr Mears has thanked Chard Town Council clerk John Furze and the Mayor, Cllr Martin Wale, a fellow Conservative councillor, for their support.

Mr Furze said he was delighted at Mr Mears’ appointment. “It is very refreshing to see someone as young as Cllr Mears enter the clerk’s profession,” he said. “The stereotypical council clerk is usually more ad-vanced in years!”

And the Mayor, Cllr Wale, said: “I’m delighted that a young man who only put himself forward as a councillor last year is now taking advantage of the opportunities that have arisen.”