Last week saw the first Freedom of the Borough Ceremony I have ever attended, and it was a suitably moving occasion. The two people honoured were the former Council Leader Gerry Clarkson and the former head of the Kent Invicta Chamber of Commerce Jo James, and it is impossible to think of two more deserving recipients.
To take Gerry first, he reminded everyone at the ceremony that he only became involved because I persuaded him, against his will, that becoming a Councillor for Charing would not take up too much of his time. Twelve years later I may have to admit that this was not necessarily completely true.
His record of achievement at the Council does not need setting out in detail, mainly because you can see the physical signs of it in the new developments all around the Borough. Ashford College, Connect 38, Jasmin Vardimon, Junction 10A are all signs of how things have actually happened in Ashford over recent years, after years of it being called a “nearly town”.
Similarly with Jo, it has been a real pleasure to work with her to advance the cause of business and job creation in and around Ashford. Together we have visited a huge number of local firms. Perhaps the most surprising fact we unearthed at these visits was that most of the roulette wheels in Las Vegas are produced in a barn conversion just outside Bethersden. Who knew?
Both Jo and Gerry deserve all the warm words that were said about them at the ceremony in St Mary’s. They have given years of service and hard work to the town and the County.
One other thing I can guarantee is that neither of them will be sitting back and deciding that retirement means doing very little. I fully expect to be involved in projects which each of them will set up in future years.