Helston town centre manager's assistant leaves post

12:00pm Thursday 17th January 2013 in News

Helston town centre manager's assistant leaves post Helston town centre manager's assistant leaves post

The assistant to Helston’s town centre manager has left her post after less than a year in the job.

Tanya Allen-Jeffery became Jonathan Birkett’s assistant in May last year, taking on an administrative role on a part-time basis.

Since then she has been involved in a range of projects in the town, including the four weeks of Midsummer Markets last August. Her reason for leaving has not been made public.

Mr Birkett said this week: “I am extremely sorry to see Tanya leave. She has been an incredibly valuable and popular member of the team.

“She made a real impact in the short time she worked here and she will be sorely missed.

“I do, however, understand her decision to leave and wish her well for the future. I have revised the job description and job specifications and we will shortly begin to recruit for her replacement.”

Following Tanya’s departure Helston Town Council’s policy, finances and resources committee, which oversees the role, has decided to make the assistant post full-time. The role has been renamed as “town centre manager project assistant” with an amended job description. Recruiting for the job begins this week.

In his report to the town council, due to be given tomorrow (Thursday), Mr Birkett has said: “Following the departure of Mrs Allen-Jeffery recruitment of her replacement will commence this month, along with that of the two apprentices.

“With all the planned activity the support will be essential and finding the right candidates quickly is a priority.”

The council has agreed for two apprentices to be employed for 12 months, with £5,000 for each apprentice coming from the section 106 money set aside for town projects. There is also £1,500 of government funding to invest in apprentices.

One apprentice will start in the first quarter of 2013, with the second later in the year and the option of a third if the scheme is judged to be successful.

One will be in charge of the website, while the other will be responsible for boosting the town’s markets.

Comments(53)

ronedgcumbe says...
12:53pm Thu 17 Jan 13

If this Carries on much longer they will be to start a football team.

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Gill Zella Martin 09 says...
1:46pm Thu 17 Jan 13

Could someone please explain to me, with a Helston Business Improvement Partnership, which includes a paid part time secretary, two apprentices possibly three, a full time Town Managers assistant, oh sorry, I forgot the fancy name, town centre manager project assistant, and not forgetting the town manager himself, will there be any money left with which to actually do anything constructive that will give long term benefits for Helston and not just short term gimmicks. Sorry to be so negative, but when I take a look at Porthleven which only has the Town Council basically, they have decent car parking arrangements, occupied shops etc and seem to arrange events such as the food festival without the financial input that Helston has been given, ok so Porthleven is on the coast, but Helston is only a small town so for goodness sake how many more paid employees does it need to run it.

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ronedgcumbe says...
2:58pm Thu 17 Jan 13

With a wage bill of what must now be £1500 a week I certainly agree Gill. Where will be in a few short years with nothing to show and all the money gone.
It amazes me there is no one on the council prepared to speak up about this increasingly ludicrous situation.

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meerkats says...
3:09pm Thu 17 Jan 13

Perhaps the Dalek could be let loose from the chippy and exterminate some of them .lol On a serious note though i agree with Gill and Rons comments .ie there will be no money left in the pot and yes someone should speak from the council about what is going on.

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Gill Zella Martin 09 says...
3:20pm Thu 17 Jan 13

The Helston BIP is supposed to run as a non profit making business but I personally do not see how they will make much if any, money to re invest in Helston, and it was stated in a previous article on here, words to the effect, that the apprentices should make enough money within a year to justify the continuation of their employment. I am very sceptical about how they will achieve that. As for making the roundabouts destinations in their own rights, are they planning to install things on them ? because if so I do hope they are not a distraction to motorists, perhaps a couple of artificial clouds and a cuckoo would look good.

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ronedgcumbe says...
3:39pm Thu 17 Jan 13

These press releases often raise more questions than ansers. Maybe we should hire a town centre press officer.

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meerkats says...
4:19pm Thu 17 Jan 13

ronedgcumbe wrote:
These press releases often raise more questions than ansers. Maybe we should hire a town centre press officer.
He/she would have to offer their services for free though.!!

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Gill Zella Martin 09 says...
4:48pm Thu 17 Jan 13

I can't understand why some people have to be paid, whatever happened to voluntary services. If some of these people care so much for Helston and have an interest in it by owning a business there and improvements are for their benefit also, then why not devote their time for free, they already presumably have an income from their business.The Town Councillors devote their time for free, so why does the BIP need to pay people.

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Gill Zella Martin 09 says...
5:29pm Thu 17 Jan 13

I am just waiting for them to need some more office furniture for the apprentices !!!!

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ronedgcumbe says...
10:07am Fri 18 Jan 13

To be honest apart from tripling his staff I am not 100% sure what the tcm's project is. I presume it was the list that included the magic roundabout idea. Please correct me if I am wrong.

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Lord Barrington Forbes-Smythe says...
12:48pm Fri 18 Jan 13

I wonder what's in that cupboard behind them. Maybe it's a doorway to a magical kingdom and that's where she's gone. Maybe we can send him in looking for her and save a few quid on him too.

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Gill Zella Martin 09 says...
1:45pm Fri 18 Jan 13

Lol, perhaps the project is in the cupboard. I actually thought the HBIP were supposed to be working on many projects such as their website, so like Ron says, not really sure what this project is that the TM has that he needs a full time Project assistant for.

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Gill Zella Martin 09 says...
2:17pm Fri 18 Jan 13

I am actually a little confused, I thought the idea of employing a town manager was to oversee the running of the town etc but since then, the Helston Business Improvement Partnership has evolved and are working on projects presumably with the intention of increasing footfall in the town, seeing as that was what the original aim was, but now we are informed the HBIP say they need apprentices to help with the paperwork etc of their projects and the TM had already previously said he needed an assistant which he got, but the HBIP now pays a part time secretary, plus of course there is the town council working hard for the town on a voluntary basis and they have a very good and efficient town clerk who also has an assistant, correct me if I am wrong on that point. Therefore as there is now a HBIP why do they still need a TM, if they didn't have a manager he wouldn't need an assistant. Can't the HBIP work on their own, surely the HBIP are capable of working alongside the town council without having a TM as a go between. Unless of course they are all working together as one big happy family so to speak, in which case why can't they share the secretary/assistant that the TM has instead of paying a separate one within the HBIP.
So far I make it, 1 paid TM 1 paid TM assistant, 2 paid possibly 3 eventually apprentices, 1 paid HBIP secretary, and a few hanging baskets, and still free parking at the supermarkets.

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telstar1962 says...
10:52am Sat 19 Jan 13

A good concise summary,GZM.

If I had a small business,and wanted to be profitable and successful in the long term,then money needs to be generated NOW in order to keep so many in work now and in years to come.

This set up is fine whilst the 'Supermarkets bribery for planning money' is there,but once it runs out,just who will pay all these people ?

It will come to a point that some organization like a co-operative will need to be formed for all these individuals/bodies in Town to come together to survive.

Solutions seem that much easier when you are spending someone elses money.

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Gill Zella Martin 09 says...
12:41pm Sat 19 Jan 13

Thank you telstar,

I worked for a rail operating company at one time and one manager decided to invent some jobs which did not exist and coincidentally purchased some hanging baskets all out of a budget, and as we all predicted, the railway/budget could not sustain the wages after a while and the jobs disappeared and the manager left.

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Lanty Slee says...
11:40pm Sun 20 Jan 13

Those two seem very cosy in that picture...

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Gill Zella Martin 09 says...
6:57am Mon 21 Jan 13

I think the trouble with someone in the public eye leaving a job without making the reason public, then it leaves it open to speculation. My first thought was perhaps they expected her to do more work than what would be expected of part time, hence the reason the job is to made full time, but then if that was the case they could have offered her full time or split the work between two part time jobs. Or perhaps the type of work expected wasn't in the original job description.
With jobs being created and paid out of section 106 money obviously the public will have an interest. When the previous town manager Richard Dennery left it was clear why he was leaving. Although I could never understand why it transpired that he took his office furniture with him as It was alleged to be his, so the current town manager had to have new office furniture. Strange set up. I take it the cupboard belongs to the council. How many more jobs will be created I wonder, at this rate they could end up with more staff and Council members in Helston than there are shops.

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meerkats says...
9:34am Mon 21 Jan 13

Gill Zella Martin 09 wrote:
Thank you telstar,

I worked for a rail operating company at one time and one manager decided to invent some jobs which did not exist and coincidentally purchased some hanging baskets all out of a budget, and as we all predicted, the railway/budget could not sustain the wages after a while and the jobs disappeared and the manager left.
did he/she take the hanging baskets with him ? lol

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Gill Zella Martin 09 says...
11:15am Mon 21 Jan 13

Lol , no he left them behind, but the plants all died due to lack of water because health and safety dictated that the staff could not go up a ladder and the railway certainly would not pay for any proper equipment with which to reach them to water them with. What do expect though from a rail company that could not even de ice the tracks and the trains slid through the station on occasions without stopping, and when they did stop they couldn't get going again because they were losing traction on the rails.

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meerkats says...
11:19am Mon 21 Jan 13

Gosh the poor plants didnt stand a chance then if that how they looked after their trains and passengers !!

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telstar1962 says...
11:39am Mon 21 Jan 13

'Section 106 money' is the politically correct phraseology (all words spell checked) unlike the advert for the new position which spells town incorrectly

TWON lol

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Gill Zella Martin 09 says...
11:40am Mon 21 Jan 13

Yes and that was the good bits.

That is why I am very sceptical about some of the jobs being created in Helston just to run a small town with.

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telstar1962 says...
11:41am Mon 21 Jan 13

Helston Town Council - Town Centre Manager Project Assistant. Full Time Fixed Term (to March 2016) 37 hours per week, starting salary £16,054 p.a. Applicants will be self-motivated and able to work as part of a team. You will have good communication skills and customer care skills and be computer literate. The post requires occasional evening and weekend working. For a job description and application form please contact The Twon Clerk, The Guildhall, Helston. TR13 8ST telephone: 01326 572063 or email: Application forms to be received by noon on Friday 1st February 2013

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Gill Zella Martin 09 says...
11:42am Mon 21 Jan 13

telstar1962 wrote:
'Section 106 money' is the politically correct phraseology (all words spell checked) unlike the advert for the new position which spells town incorrectly

TWON lol
I wrote my last post before I read yours telstar, that does not surprise me in the least lol lol

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Gill Zella Martin 09 says...
11:46am Mon 21 Jan 13

telstar1962 wrote:
Helston Town Council - Town Centre Manager Project Assistant. Full Time Fixed Term (to March 2016) 37 hours per week, starting salary £16,054 p.a. Applicants will be self-motivated and able to work as part of a team. You will have good communication skills and customer care skills and be computer literate. The post requires occasional evening and weekend working. For a job description and application form please contact The Twon Clerk, The Guildhall, Helston. TR13 8ST telephone:If the applicant has to be computer literate then I would have thought the TMs job itself was also supposed to include that criteria !!!!!!

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Gill Zella Martin 09 says...
11:53am Mon 21 Jan 13

Oh are we not quoting in boxes anymore? I quoted telstar on my last comment, but it is no longer in the white quote box.

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meerkats says...
12:26pm Mon 21 Jan 13

telstar1962 wrote:
'Section 106 money' is the politically correct phraseology (all words spell checked) unlike the advert for the new position which spells town incorrectly

TWON lol
lol hadnt noticed it until your comment .

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ronedgcumbe says...
2:24pm Mon 21 Jan 13

What a waste of waste of the twons money.

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telstar1962 says...
2:39pm Mon 21 Jan 13

New logo/branding thingy....

'Visit Helston Twon'

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ronedgcumbe says...
2:53pm Mon 21 Jan 13

Postive poeple, pefrect place.

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Gill Zella Martin 09 says...
2:54pm Mon 21 Jan 13

telstar1962 wrote:
New logo/branding thingy....

'Visit Helston Twon'
Lol, it just gets better every day.

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Gill Zella Martin 09 says...
3:02pm Mon 21 Jan 13

ronedgcumbe wrote:
Postive poeple, pefrect place.
Lol, it will soon become known as :

'Helston' the town with the quickest turn over of staff.

I know we all make mistakes me probably more than most, but for goodness sake, does no one check anything as important as a job description for an advertisement.
Incidentally when staff are employed by Helston town council like the TM for example, does anyone at the interview actually get the applicant to write an example e-mail?

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meerkats says...
3:09pm Mon 21 Jan 13

Does the clerk like being called a Twon clerk i wonder ?

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Lord Barrington Forbes-Smythe says...
3:11pm Mon 21 Jan 13

The more I see that photo, the more surreal it seems. Presumably that's when she started... would have been nice to have a pic of him holding the door open for her, or of her getting on the number 2 bus on Coinagehall St while waving goodbye.

I bet whoever wrote that ad must feel like a right TWON now

"This twon, is coming like a ghost twon..., de de derrr"

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Gill Zella Martin 09 says...
3:18pm Mon 21 Jan 13

I just hope some of the more discerning members of the town council, including the Mayor and the town clerk are the ones that interview the applicants and the apprentices.

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meerkats says...
3:30pm Mon 21 Jan 13

Maybe it was a deliberate mistake ,if anyone applying for the job, pointed it out they would automatically be taken on. lol. She does look very happy if that is her leaving picture !!

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Lord Barrington Forbes-Smythe says...
3:36pm Mon 21 Jan 13

That's a good one, Meerkats, an initiative test. If anyone's bold enough to risk telling them they can't spell at the interview, they get taken on. It's so simple, it's fiendishly brilliant!!

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ronedgcumbe says...
5:51pm Mon 21 Jan 13

"I n that quaint old Cornish twon"

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meerkats says...
6:53pm Mon 21 Jan 13

Lord Barrington Forbes-Smythe wrote:
That's a good one, Meerkats, an initiative test. If anyone's bold enough to risk telling them they can't spell at the interview, they get taken on. It's so simple, it's fiendishly brilliant!!
Thanks LBFS . will the phrase be twonnies now instead of townies i wonder.

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Gill Zella Martin 09 says...
7:07pm Mon 21 Jan 13

I thought Helston Town Council was re accredited with Quality Town Council status in 2011.

Actually all joking aside, I automatically assumed that the TM wrote the advertisement, however, with hindsight, I would have thought that the town clerk would have written the advertisement for the job, if this was the case I would say it was a very rare error, and he is efficient and certainly worth his money. I would have thought that judging by his work load that he is the one that should have an assistant for his assistant.

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meerkats says...
7:35pm Mon 21 Jan 13

Whoever wrote it wont live it down for a while probably.

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Lord Barrington Forbes-Smythe says...
8:23am Tue 22 Jan 13

Err, I'm confused.... Shouldn't that be 'won't live it dwon', Meerkats?

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meerkats says...
9:57am Tue 22 Jan 13

Lord Barrington Forbes-Smythe wrote:
Err, I'm confused.... Shouldn't that be 'won't live it dwon', Meerkats?
lol. very good , now off dwon twon to see how many positive people i can see in a perfect place.

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Lord Barrington Forbes-Smythe says...
10:17am Tue 22 Jan 13

Ooh, reminds me of that Petula Clark hit, "Dwon-twon, where all the lights are bright". And before you try and date me, I remember hearing that one as an oldie when I was a kid, honestly!

Have fun spotting all those PP in a PP. You'll have less fun if you need to take a PP there though, due to the WC situation.

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Gill Zella Martin 09 says...
10:28am Tue 22 Jan 13

I still don't see how you can say Helston is the perfect place, Porthleven is the perfect place, so is Falmouth, Coverack, St Keverne, Mawgan, Camborne, Port Isaac, Bodmin, you can see where this leading, It is a matter of opinion, and to say Helston is the perfect place to me smacks of boasting, and people end up making themselves look stupid boasting if it transpires that they havn't anything to boast about.

When you look at it logically, how ironic is that, they launch a branding 'positive people perfect place' then the Town Managers assistant leaves with no public explanation, well that to me does not sound very positive and I would conclude that it obviously isn't the perfect place.

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telstar1962 says...
10:44am Tue 22 Jan 13

Perfect place, imperfect spelling

37 hours sounds part-time to me

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meerkats says...
11:19am Tue 22 Jan 13

Gill Zella Martin 09 wrote:
I still don't see how you can say Helston is the perfect place, Porthleven is the perfect place, so is Falmouth, Coverack, St Keverne, Mawgan, Camborne, Port Isaac, Bodmin, you can see where this leading, It is a matter of opinion, and to say Helston is the perfect place to me smacks of boasting, and people end up making themselves look stupid boasting if it transpires that they havn't anything to boast about.

When you look at it logically, how ironic is that, they launch a branding 'positive people perfect place' then the Town Managers assistant leaves with no public explanation, well that to me does not sound very positive and I would conclude that it obviously isn't the perfect place.
not many towns can boast of having a twon clerk. !! I think that the TM assistant should have given an explanation for her sudden departure ,maybe she realised its not such a positive ,perfect place after all.

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Lord Barrington Forbes-Smythe says...
4:12pm Tue 22 Jan 13

Twon clerk, eh... yes, it's certainly unique Meerkats. Tempted to apply to him myself, I quite fancy the novelty of being a twon mangler's assistant.

But I agree with you Gill about the weakness of the slogan. You don't say somewhere is perfect, you try to attract people by highlighting some of its assets or communicating in an original or charming manner and then let them draw their own hopefully positive conclusions. Helston is I'm sure many things to many people, but perfect? Who would actually claim that unless they'd had a few pints of Spingo down the Blue Anchor?
Has the TM or whoever coined the slogan found the people to be especially positive in Helston? If so, could they explain how?
And concerning the perfect place, Cornwall has quite a few little fishing villages etc that could reasonably claim to be 'perfect' or idyllic, but Helston would probably have a hard time convincing a visitor of its 'perfect' credentials... Talk about setting yourself up for a fall!

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meerkats says...
4:32pm Tue 22 Jan 13

I doubt i there is anywhere that could really be classed as perfect , but Helston has a long way to go to achieve this. The weak slogan, a logo nobody understands ,lack of toilets, parking , empty shops and making roundabouts designated areas? are all major issues. I know the HBIP are working hard, but these issues need to be tackled and completed ,make people proud to live in Helston and then the positivity will come through.

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telstar1962 says...
5:04pm Tue 22 Jan 13

The only place I know as perfect, is Paradise...and I don't want to visit there just yet.

(apologies in advance for poor spelling or grammar)

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Gill Zella Martin 09 says...
5:56pm Tue 22 Jan 13

telstar1962 wrote:
The only place I know as perfect, is Paradise...and I don't want to visit there just yet.

(apologies in advance for poor spelling or grammar)
Lol, well I have to say tomorrow is Perfect Packet day.

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meerkats says...
9:21pm Tue 22 Jan 13

meerkats wrote:
I doubt i there is anywhere that could really be classed as perfect , but Helston has a long way to go to achieve this. The weak slogan, a logo nobody understands ,lack of toilets, parking , empty shops and making roundabouts designated areas? are all major issues. I know the HBIP are working hard, but these issues need to be tackled and completed ,make people proud to live in Helston and then the positivity will come through.
Doubt if not i . oops made a mistake!!

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telstar1962 says...
10:43am Sat 26 Jan 13

The spelling mistake in the Project Assistant's advert has not been corrected.

The person responsible obviously doesn't read the Packet on-line, or knows about it and just cannot be bothered to alter it.

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