Keeping up with the Joneses . . .

The Mayor Cllr. David Jones and Mayoress Jean Jones

Why now’s the time to relax for Oldham’s mayor and mayoress
SPENDING a year as Mayor of Oldham restored David Jones’s faith in humankind.

Next Wednesday, he will hand over the Mayoral chains to Councillor Richard Knowles, marking the end of a “hectic but hugely enjoyable” year in office.

The former Labour Party leader, who stepped down as a councillor after 28 years this month, says he will never forget the kindness and generosity of the people of Oldham.

Mr Jones, who moved from Wales to Oldham after his time at Oxford University, said: “I honestly don’t think an Englishman moving to Wales would have had the same opportunities as I have had in Oldham.

“I have had the chance to be a councillor, council leader and mayor and the people of Oldham have never let the fact that I am not one of them get in the way.

“People often ask me if I will move back to Wales now I am not on the council any more, but Oldham is my home.

“I spent 16 years in Wales and I’ve had 40 in Oldham.

“Most of my family and close friends are here and this is where I will stay.”

Mr Jones and his wife, Jean, who retired as a councillor after eight years in the Medlock Vale ward in 2010, are planning to spend their new-found free time with their family and friends.

The pair have already booked six holidays between now and the end of 2011, but say they will remain active members of the Labour Party.

Mrs Jones, a former teacher, said: “When we were both councillors we rarely got the chance to see each other.

“We always had to plan our holidays around the council diary so it is nice to have all these holidays to look forward to now.

“Being a councillor is an all-consuming role so we are making up for lost time.”

Mr Jones, a former teacher, says the highlight of his time as a councillor was the opening of Oldham Sixth Form College.

He said: “I was chairman of the education committee at the time and there were many people who thought we were crazy.

“We planned for it to take 700 A-level students and some thought there would never be that many young people in Oldham wanting to carry on with their education but they were wrong.

“I was also very proud to watch Oldham College transform from just an ordinary tech to one of the finest further education establishments in the country.”

Mrs Jones cites the creation of New Deal for Communities in Hathershaw and Fitton Hill as one of her highlights, adding: “It had a shaky start but we got some excellent people on board and it ended up being an excellent community resource that went from strength to strength.

“It served as the real reason I became a councillor — to bring communities together and help them to make their area better for themselves.”

Although being mayor was never a priority for Mr Jones, he fully embraced the role and says it gave him the chance to meet a host of inspirational people.

He added: “When the opportunity arose to be mayor for the last 12 months of my time as a councillor, I couldn’t turn it down.

“Being mayor has restored my faith in humankind.

“As a councillor you only really come across people who need your help because they’ve got a problem or a complaint but Oldhamers seem to cherish the mayoral role which is a great strength of the town.

“Jean and I have met so many people and organisations that we wouldn’t have known existed otherwise.

“The kindness and generosity of people has amazed me throughout the year.”

The couple’s last official engagement as mayor and mayoress next week will provide the perfect swansong.

Mr Jones said: “We will officially open a beautiful garden in Butler Green in South Chadderton where we live.

“It used to be just a patch of land with a few plants and benches but I pushed for the District Partnership to provide funding to transform it into a real community facility so it seems fitting that my last role as mayor, and as a councillor, is to open it to the public.”