Three short years ago, we first spoke with Vanessa Tanner, campaigning in the Devizes Town Council by-election for Devizes East. In those few minutes, I knew Vanessa was the person for the role, and we congratulated her for winning her seat for Devizes Guardians. Today, we congratulate her for becoming the new Mayor of Devizes….
She had some big boots to fill. Jane Burton was a respected Councillor, and the by-election wasn’t without its pitfalls; namely a false scandal perpetrated by the opposition candidate. But Vanessa’s voluntary work and keenness for environmental issues thankfully shone through.
Seems like I was onto something back then, as Vanessa announced today, “I’m absolutely honoured and privileged to have been made Mayor of Devizes last night. I think it’s going to be a turbo-charged and exciting year ahead.”
Vanessa thanked John Richard Stephens, her friends, family, and colleagues for their support. Congrats, and perhaps a bottle of Brown Ale also goes to Jonathan Hunter for picking up the deputy mayor role; I shot the sheriff, but not the deputy!
Devizes Guardians thanked departing mayor, Cllr Jennie Britten, for her “selfless dedication and service to Devizes,” adding, “It has clearly been a year marked by compassion, leadership, and community pride.”
Congratulations, Vanessa! We don’t think you’ll make a great mayor. We know you will. Wear that bling with pride! And if you raise a glass to her success, make sure it’s one of the reusable cups that Vanessa initiated across Town Council events and beyond to many local pubs and bars!
Since the recent byelection for Devizes East, Guardian Vanessa Tanner was welcomed to The Town Council this month; Guardians of the Galaxy ensemble, or, maybe just Guardians of the Devizes, but you get the general gist!
“Not everyone would stand in an election,” Vanessa said, which is a good start because I wouldn’t want to; I could sit in one, maybe slouch a bit and snooze until it was time to hit the pub, but that’s about it!
Apologies, ignore my silly edits to bulk this out; Vanessa continued, “by putting yourself forward as a representative for your community, you may open yourself up for criticism along with praise. We are hard-wired to remember the bad over the good so for your own self-preservation, you need to develop a tough skin and constantly remind yourself why it is important.”
“So why was it important for me to stand as a candidate in the recent by-election? I wanted to really engage in Devizes and be part of the community. I’m not a local born and bred, but Devizes has become my home and I love living here. Shortly after moving in, I met a group of people who are passionate about ensuring this little part of England remains beautiful and thriving. Those people are The Devizes Guardians. Each one of them with a story to tell about why they wanted to become Town Councillors.”
“My story is simple. I want to represent the people in my local area, to bring issues to the table and hopefully find solutions. Also, I’m already involved in a number of community groups, (Sustainable Devizes, CUDS, Devizes in Bloom, Dorothy House) so I wanted to represent them on the Town Council, to ensure their voices are heard. All that remains now is to do what I promised to do. Be a decent, honest and effective Councillor. Roll on the next couple of years.”
Roll on indeed, in our pre-election interview, well, I called it an interview, was more of a nice chinwag, I genuinely came away positively knowing Vanessa would make the perfect town councillor. Leader of the Guardians Jonathan Hunter commented, “we are grateful for the magnificent support shown by constituents in East Ward, along with the superb encouragement from those across the wider community who supported Vanessa Tanner’s positive election campaign.”
“It was a hard fought campaign between the Conservatives, Labour and Devizes Guardians but despite lacking the resources of a national party, Vanessa won the election with an impressive 44% of the vote. The postal vote was incredibly strong, as was the strength of support for Vanessa on the doorstep.”
It was a testament to what can be achieved; though for the Guardians to have lost this seat, it still would not have tipped the balance to a Conservative majority. Local councils do not need persuasion from national political parties. They should be about what is best for the town. The Guardians are a conglomerate of independents. Jonathan touched on this point too, noting, “residents expressed their dissatisfaction with national and county politics and were keen to back an energetic and community-focused candidate from a party that champions local issues and campaigns for a better deal for Devizes and the local community.”
“Devizes Guardians recognise the selfless public service from former Devizes Guardian and Town Councillor, the late Jane Burton, whose sad passing triggered this by-election.
Standing in an election isn’t an easy decision and I would like to thank the other candidates for their efforts and support.”
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If the Gazelle & Herod knocked a front page together this week from Facebook discussions about a spate of dog fouling in Devizes, with a frustrated looking Conservative Councillor Iain Wallis about centre, grasping a doggie poo bag, independent party of Devizes Town Council, The Guardians have a suggestion to curb the current controversy; installation of poo bag dispensers in key locations in the town.
Despite some areas of the country, like Ipswich having bulky male vigilantes hilariously dressed as dog poo fairies, all agreed a squad of enforcement officers on patrol was impractical. Iain Wallis, who I’m certain would agree he would look great dressed as a dog poo fairy, suggested in the local rag, “I would like to see the town council set up a task group to gather ideas from the public as to how we can tackle the issue.” Team Dog Poo, we could dub them, arguably apt, you might say, for some members of DTC. But this time, I’m coming to their defense!
Devizes Guardian Councillors Mrs Bridewell and Mrs Burton think the problem might be overcome, at least in part, by offering the bags in dispensers, located in key areas, including Hillworth Park, Brickley Lane Play Area and The Greens. The option will be discussed at Council’s forthcoming Community and Civic Resources Committee.
I’d sincerely hope its workable, but I’m a realist; plus, it’s hardly environmentally friendly. A wide range of reusable doggie poo solutions are available, dog owners only need to Google it and take some responsibility for their pets, and their planet alike. Which while a majority do bag-up, they still tend to use disposable bags, ergo dumping a turd in a bush is actually reducing their carbon footprint; the council could encourage them to break their wallet out and buy a reusable poo bag, because finding a practical solution is a minefield.
Concern is, if this trend continues it’ll become the norm and we’ll rearward to the watch-your-step era of the seventies and eighties, where if you grew up in this time, you’ll recall the fetid white dog poo lining our streets, and brown snowballs being the single most vicious weapon of a snowball fight; is that what you really want? Brown snowball in the chops?
Give a man a doggie poo bag dispenser and you’ll supply a solution for a day, teach the idiot to pick up after his mutt and you’ll avoid non-dog owners complaining why they should fork out their council tax because of the contempt of certain dog owners. Not forgoing, I’d fear bored pranksters, likely the TikTok door-kicker brigade with all the brains of an amoeba, tugging them out of the dispenser for so-called amusement, and we’d have empty dog poo bags flying in the air, and you’d likely step in a turd trying to avoid them; you can’t train stupid, neither can a council.
The Gov site encourages you to shop a dog fouler to your county council, here, this being the only sensible method to report it, but a proactive resolution is another thing. Because, the real solution is so radical it defies all reason, and it’s called a sense of moral obligation, to pick up your doggie’s doings. Yet that’s not something any council can undertake successfully; it is up to the individual.
Thing is, do not sigh and assume you’re living in some degenerating hellhole, most do pick up their doggie doings around here, and the problem is nationwide, not lone to Devizes, probable worse in other areas. But it relies on a common-sense of decency; something seriously lacking in the chosen few who deem themselves above picking up their dog poo, if this is you, I’ve a message for you, don’t get a bloody dog!
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