Christmas Opening Hours and Message from the Mayor
The Town Council will be closed from 12 noon on Thursday 24th December until 9am on Monday 4th January.
Conwy County Council’s offices are currently closed. For out of hours emergencies only, please contact 0300 123 3079.
For further information on County Council services, please visit: https://www.conwy.gov.uk/en/Spotlight/Christmas-and-New-Year-Opening-Hours/Christmas-and-New-Year-Opening-Hours.aspx
On behalf of the Mayor, Cllr Neil Bastow, the Town Councillors and staff at the Town Hall, we would like to wish all of our residents in the Bay of Colwyn a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.
Nadolig Llawen a Blwyddyn Newydd Dda!
Christmas Message 2020 from Cllr Neil Bastow, Mayor of the Bay of Colwyn
What can be said that is positive in these very concerning and unprecedented times we are living in? That is the question that occupied my mind in preparing to write this message.
The most positive I can think of is how this community have pulled together and shown spirit and compassion for our neighbours and complete strangers alike. From the moment the Covid-19 Crisis hit we have collectively re-found our community conscience.
As Mayor you are expected to serve 1 year and then back away for the new incumbent after raising funds for your charity and promoting all aspects of the town businesses and private individuals. However legislative road blocks have got in the way of the usual course of things, so you have had to put up with one of the longest serving yet most ineffective Mayors since the council began. I apologise!
However even though the usual form of council functions were no longer visible you can be assured that we have continued to conduct business in the new normal way of working; from home.
From the instigation of Lockdown way back in March we could no longer meet as a full council other than on Zoom, but a committee was formed including the two chairs of Policy & Finance & General Purpose & Planning, The Clerk and myself, we formed with the agreement of full council to see how we could benefit the municipality directly and quickly through the crisis. Thanks to our ability to focus financial aid to organisations, the council helped sustain voluntary groups to engage in Food Banks, Prescription collections and befriending of isolating and isolated people.
Some notable and praiseworthy groups were: Kind Bay Initiative, Chicago 1935, Sure Hope Church, CAIS, Bayside Community Radio, St Joseph’s Catholic Church, Scrubs Up Bay of Colwyn and Beyond, Ysgol Bryn Elian, Zaid Al-Obaidi, I thank you for stepping forward.
In last year’s message I stated that I had been privileged to meet so many people doing so much good work. sadly, I can’t say that this year. But I know that all the leaders of Community group, Scouts, Brownies, RNLI etc are continuing their activities, all be it on line, you are to be commended for carrying on and keeping people connected.
This Christmas is going to be hard, not just because we are still under Covid-19 guidance, limiting our gatherings to two group bubbles/households only, but also because many of you have either been furloughed or at worst lost your jobs and your livelihood to this pandemic. What words can I say that will have any impact? None I fear. What I can say is that we have gone through very dark days in the last 100 years and have come through them stronger, changed yes, but stronger.
My final thanks go to the council as a body for having to put up with me, and especially to: Tina Earley, Roz Dudley and Louise Austin who work so very hard in the background yet get so little gratitude or recognition.
To close, I fervently hope and pray you have the best ever Christmas possible under the circumstances and I pray that next year is a good year and we look back on 2020 as the year that changed us for the better.
God Bless you all of whatever faith or none.