A Colonel, contemporary artist and sea skipper were amongst those co-opted onto Tenby Town Council this week, after giving their reasons why they are ‘passionate’ about making a difference for the town.

With the co-option process taking place on Tuesday night (May 2) in the Mayor’s Parlour, five positions (three in the south ward and two in the north) were vacant, after five members resigned back in March, with the Town Council co-opting new members to fill the vacated roles, after there was no call for an election.

Nine candidates who had put their names forward were given the opportunity to present their reasons for wanting to become a town councillor at the meeting this week, with the Mayor Cllr Sam Skyrme-Blackhall, along with her fellow members Councillors Dai Morgan, Trevor Hallett, Charles Dale, Duncan Whitehurst and Laurence Blackhall present around the council chamber table.

Retired Colonel James Phillips told councillors that he had 33 years experience in the military and good leadership qualities shown by working and engaging with communities.

He has served in Germany, Cyprus, The Netherlands, Northern Ireland, the Balkans, Afghanistan and Iraq, and has commanded soldiers, sailors and air personnel and worked in NATO, MOD, Joint and Army Headquarters.

He was appointed as Veterans’ Commissioner for Wales by The Office for Veterans’ Affairs and the Office of the Secretary of State for Wales last year.

Twenty-six-year-old Joe Criddle a graduate from Cardiff University with honours in chemistry, explained that he was a ‘local boy’ who currently worked as a skipper within the tourism sector for Tenby Boat Trips, who felt that he could represent the younger demographic of the town, and provide them with a voice.

He also said that his family had last year set up the James Criddle Foundation last year, which founded two Food Banks located in Tenby and Saundersfoot, as somewhere for anyone experiencing hardship across the county.

Laura Crockford who comes from a well-known Tenby family and runs an independent coffee and gift shop on St Julian’s Street, told town councillors that she believed in keeping the ‘traditions’ of the seaside town, but also wanted to look forward with ideas too, that would benefit the local community.

“As local residents, it feels like we’re getting smaller, something that really hit home during lockdown, when there were hardly any lights on at properties inside the walled town,” she explained.

Emma Lewis said that she had lived on Tenby High Street from 2008 to 2020, and previously worked in community transport in Pembrokeshire, as well as the retail and charity sector.

She explained that living, shopping and spending most of her leisure time in Tenby, and working in the third sector had brought her an understanding of the town and people who are fortunate enough to live and work here.

As a resident of Tenby, she said that she was also working with community engagement officer Anne Draper to bring together a Community Festival in September.

“I am passionate about living in a safe, welcoming, inclusive and engaged town and would love the opportunity to do more for and with the the town and its people,” she wrote in her application.

Local artist Tom Sloan who resides on The Green and had previously stood for election onto the Town Council last year, gaining 139 votes from the electorate, said that he felt that lots of things could be done differently for the town, and hoped that in the future he could see more of a cultural aspect brought into Tenby.

“When I told people that I was standing for election, people encouraged me, as they felt that I could bring something different to the role of a town councillor; but at the same time, others said that I’d be wasting my time, as the perception seemed to be from some, that it’s a waste of time, and you can’t change anything. But it’s the attitude of people that really needs changing, and I’d like to try and change that type of opinion that multiple people had expressed,” he told members.

Councillors then put forward their votes in a secret ballot, with Mr Criddle and Sloan being co-opted onto the North Ward, and Ms Crockford, Lewis and Colonel Phillips onto the South Ward.

With Jason Rossiter resigning last month, the town clerk and Mayor explained that there would be a sixth role to fill via co-option down the line, with the chance for those that missed out that night, to potentially fill that role on the South Ward.