Andrew Thomas speaks to the new clerk of Kendal Town Council Chris Bagshaw about the importance of grass roots democracy and the council’s upcoming priorities.
New clerk Chris Bagshaw believes passionately in the role Kendal Town Council plays in ensuring decisions made about the community reflect what local people want.
“Our duty is to the people of Kendal,” said Mr Bagshaw, who has been town clerk for around two months. “We start from the view that the town belongs to the people who live in the town and decisions made should reflect their views.”
He said the goal of the town council involved what is known as ‘place shaping’ and, to that end, one of the council’s most important roles is being a statutory consultee for planning applications.