So many minutes over past 13 years (From Gazette Series)

So many minutes over past 13 years

A CLERK who has served her parish council for over a decade is closing her notebook for the last time.

Cath Holmes, who lives in Kingswood, has worked for Charfield Parish Council for 13 years but earlier this year she made the announcement that she wanted to retire.

Mrs Holmes said she was leaving the post she had held for so long to spend more time with her family.

She said: "I have just reached retirement age and I would like to spend more time with my family and my grandchildren.

"My husband has been retired for four or five years and it would be nice to enjoy retirement together rather than me still working."

As well as serving the parish of Charfield, Mrs Holmes, 60, has also been clerk for Kingswood Parish Council, a position she has held for over 30 years.

Despite announcing her retirement from both parish councils at the beginning of the year Mrs Holmes had waited until the councils had found a replacement before leaving.

This Tuesday saw Mrs Holmes minute her last Charfield Parish Council meeting. Kingswood Parish Council are still waiting to appoint a replacement.

Mrs Holmes said it had been hard handing over the reigns of a job she has enjoyed so much.

"I will miss it greatly," she said. "It is a very, very interesting job to do and I have met some lovely people over the years."

Charfield councillor Jayne Pedley said Mrs Holmes will be sorely missed. She said: "Cath has worked incredibly hard and she is very good at what she does. We will miss her a lot."

Cllr John Acton said Mrs Holmes had served the parish well and deserved the rest.

He said: "We will miss her experience very much but some relaxation is well deserved."

Cllr Paul Hemming, chairman of Kingswood Parish Council, said Mrs Holmes would be difficult to replace.

He said: "Cath is going to be a very hard act to follow. We have relied so heavily on her and her knowledge for such a long time.

"Cath is most definitely going to be missed."