AWARDS FOR SCHOOL GOVERNORS SHOULD BE CIVIC EVENT NOT POLITICAL PROMOTION FOR MAYOR

1.46.51pm BST (GMT +0100) Mon 6th Jul 2009

Paignton Councillor Ruth Pentney has declined to attend the Torbay Governor Awards ceremony for continuous services as a school governor due to concerns that the event could be more about the promotion of Mayor Nick Bye, who is presiding over the event, rather than about the school governors receiving recognition.

Commenting on her decision Councillor Pentney said, "An event such as this should be about the celebration of the hard work of local people. I personally feel that this should be presided over by the non-political Chairman of the Council. Mayor Nick Bye has made no secret of his ambition to further his political career - I fear that this event could end up being more about Nick Bye getting his picture in the paper rather than an event acknowledging the hard work of school governors."

"The role of the Chairman is non-political and the person undertaking those duties changes every year, and I feel that it would be more appropriate for the Chairman of the Council to preside over such events. The Elected Mayoral position is political and my worry is that civic events end up being nothing more than promotional tools for the Mayor."

Ruth Pentney has served 27 years continuous work as governor of Oldway Primary School in Paignton.