'Only half' the guests joined Llandovery mayor's parade (From South Wales Guardian)

'Only half' the guests joined Llandovery mayor's parade

6:20am Friday 1st June 2012 in News

A LLANDOVERY town councillor says he is disappointed at the turn-out for the recent Mayor’s Parade which traditionally precedes the annual dinner thrown for the incoming civic leader.

Cllr Jill Blud took over the historic office from Cllr Pat Smith earlier this month.

But deputy mayor David Rees reckoned “only about 50 per cent” of guests who attended the dinner had earlier taken part in the procession through the streets.

“To be honest, I thought that wasn’t really on,” he told colleagues.

“What happened, for example, to the fire brigade? They didn’t turn up.”

Town clerk Henry Caldecote confirmed firefighters had been invited.

Cllr Blud said she bitterly regretted not inviting retired macebearer Les Adams, who had served the town for many years.

“If I’ve made any mistakes, then I apologise profusely,” she added.

Cllr Elizabeth Thomas suggested a list of potential guests should be drawn up for incoming mayors.

County councillor Ivor Jackson said the “pomp and ceremony”

of Llandovery’s Mayor’s Parade meant it was still seen as a prestigious event t h r o u g h o u t Carmarthenshire.

“We are one of the oldest towns in the borough with a charter stretching back to 1485,” he added.

“It’s important that the protocol of this event continues to be observed.”