Rayleigh and Wickford MP and Minister for Communities Mark Francois was handed a special present to help him Chair difficult meetings, when he met with representatives from the Essex Association of Local Councils (EALC) in his Ministerial office recently.
The EALC handed Mark a gavel, which was produced from local wood in Essex, which he was invited to use when chairing meetings, particularly if they should become difficult at any stage. The gift was presented to Mark following a meeting at which the EALC had raised a number of issues with him about the working of Town and Parish Councils in the County of Essex.
There are around 10,000 Town or Parish Councils in England, staffed by around 80,000 Councillors plus supporting Parish Clerks. Included within this are a large number of Town and Parish Councils across the county of Essex, who are collectively represented by the EALC. The organisation last year awarded Rayleigh Town Council the title of “Council of the Year” as the best Town or Parish Council across Essex, following their initiatives such as Anglia in Bloom and the successful move of the Rayleigh Town Market into the centre of the High Street, in order to improve its footfall of local residents.
Commenting on the meeting and his receipt of the gift, Mark Francois said:
“I had a very constructive meeting with the Essex Association of Local Councils and I was very pleasantly surprised when they gave me a gift of a locally produced gavel at the end of our discussion. Thus far I have not needed one of these as a Minister at the Department but it is nice to know that I am suitably armed in case it should ever be needed. I look forward to remaining in touch with the EALC in the future.”