Trowbridge mayor Stephen Cooper has shares his annoyance at some town councillors who he said 'failed to attend this year’s mayoral civic service'.

Cllr Cooper said it was “incredibly disappointing” to see so few members at the annual civic service at St James’ Church on Sunday, July 14.

In his July Blog, he thanked the six councillors from the 21 members representing Trowbridge who did turn up for the one-hour service

The mayor’s ticking off also appears in the minutes for the full council meeting for Tuesday, September 17.

Cllr Cooper said: “The absence of so many councillors from the civic service two days ago did not go unnoticed.

“Both members of the public and attending dignitaries expressed surprise at how few of our town councillors had turned out for what is meant to be the major event in our civic calendar.

“The truth is that both a Deputy Lord Lieutenant and the High Sheriff of Wiltshire had given up their time to attend the Trowbridge Civic Service on Sunday.

“The presence of a mere half dozen town councillors was therefore something of an embarrassment for both this council and the town it says it serves.”

The event was attended by Dr Olivia Chapple, Wiltshire’s High Sheriff, and Mrs. Nicky Alberry, one of the county’s deputy Lord Lieutenants.

The service was taken by Reverend Jake Eggertsen, Vicar of St James and was followed by light refreshments with Cllr Cooper in the Council Chamber at the Civic Centre.

Cllr Cooper added: “We all are supposedly here to serve and represent our town. We all promised to serve and represent our town when we asked its residents to put their trust in us.

“If councillors think it is appropriate for them to fail, often repeatedly in some cases, to engage with the civic life of the town they should consider the message that that lack of engagement sends to those they say they serve and represent.

“Please do not for one moment think that this is not going unnoticed by our residents, I can assure you that your absence is noticed, and it is not well regarded.

“Please consider that actions, and inactions, are seen, noted, remembered, and will impact how the public view us.

“If members of this council fail to engage positively with the civic life of our town, how can we expect our residents to show any civic pride in our town and its traditions?”