Falmouth’s new mayor announced she will not be having a chaplain for her tenure as she took her seat for her first full council meeting, breaking years of tradition.

The previous chaplain to the council, Canon Bill Stuart-White the former All Saints minister, retired from the ministry on June 18.

In the past, mayors have traditionally appointed chaplains to lead prayers at the beginning of full council meetings or accompany the mayor at various official functions.

However, at the start of this week’s full council meeting, new mayor Cllr Kirstie Edwards, who was officially elected in May, announced she will not be replacing him.

Welcoming councillors to the meeting, Cllr Edwards said she was very grateful to Canon Stuart-White for all his work.

“You’ll notice I don’t have a chaplain,” she told councillors. “But I really want to wish everybody a peaceful and respectful evening’s discussion while we work together for the people of Falmouth.

“We are still going to use King Charles Church for our civic events. Much gratitude to Bill for all the work he’s done, but for me I have decided to go without one.”

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Cllr Edwards told the Packet she would keep working with everybody but didn’t feel comfortable choosing one chaplain for her tenure.

“I work across all the churches in Falmouth and didn’t feel comfortable choosing one!” she said.

“Bill did such a wonderful job but, as he’s retiring, it felt like the right choice this year to not replace him. I’ll keep working with everybody, but for ease and accessibility I have selected King Charles still for services throughout the year.”

Rev Canon Stuart-White told the Packet he didn’t want to comment on the issue as he was retired other than to say he very much valued the privilege of being Mayor's Chaplain to Cllr Steve Eva.

“Kirstie is quite within her rights to elect not to have a Chaplain,” he said “But even if she had it wouldn't have been me on account of my retirement.”