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I met Julia in my making arrangements to see round the Old House in South Street. And with a little cajoling got her to talk a little about her job.  Although Julia is no longer with the Council, we leave this article here as it shows the role of the Civic Officer (For these things today, please contact Lynn Rackley - email lynn.rackley@rochford.gov.uk )

Rochford Life: Having done such a good job showing me round the Old House, may we now get to you?
Julia: Well, the Chairman is the best person you really want to speak to. (She is very self-deprecating!)

RL: Yes. I’m going to get to him, but anyone who works for the Council is of interest to us, and especially someone like yourself who is so visible. We have picked up a number of councillors, but we’d like to pick up some of you who work here, who make Rochford tick.  
Julia: We do have our own communications department who tend to know anyone and everything that is going on (she is still deflecting) but myself, I am the Civic Officer and my job is to look after the Chairman (at last!) and his duties on a day to day basis. The Chairman of the Council is in office from May to May and he visits various groups around the district. He’s been out there and visited so many people, so my job is really the first point of contact, so people write to me – they might have a business they might like opening or a celebration of a birthday maybe, or they’d like him to visit an elderly Care Centre, or a school perhaps. Basically the job of the Chairman is to visit so many different groups, whether it be voluntary, paid, schools etc., around the district, and to learn about each group and to share his knowledge.   

RL: He’s the visible face of the Council?
Julia: Absolutely! He may, for instance, visit one group that deals with funding, and then visit another group and they could do with that advice. So basically people contact  me and say they would like the Chairman on this particular day and we try and work out the best way of doing it, and then he attends that particular organisation. Also in his year he raises money for charity, so we have charity quiz days, and we recently had a charity bowls tournament at the Rayleigh Leisure Centre. We also do the Citizen of the Year and try to meet as many people as we can who have worked beyond their duties or shown bravery. We’ve come across so many children who have done good things; we don’t want to hear only bad things, and he likes to meet these people. We also like to lay on a reception for these people and those who have nominated them.    

RL:  So you are actually a significant person here, then, looking after him?
Julia: Well, arranging his diary so he knows where to go to, when to attend, to ensure he gets there. There’s also the events that I arrange. This year we held a Veterans afternoon tea. There were about eighty people who came along to the Mill Hall.

RL: Well you mailed me about the Holocaust Service, so what’s your role in that?
Julia: Basically to liaise with the Chairman’s Chaplain, Father Tim Clay, whose going to lead the Service, so we had to do the Order of Service; we’ve got secondary school head pupils from each secondary school attending, so they’ve got their readings. We have special guest speaker, Leslie Kleinman,  who is a holocaust  survivor. So basically my job is to set these events up, send out the invites, and ensure smooth running from beginning to end.

RL: How long have you been in this job?
Julia: Well I started about ten years ago. I started off as a Domestic Violence Co-ordinator, part of the Community Safety Team, then I was Civic Officer and I’ve been doing this job about five years now. I see a different Chairman every year.

RL: From the way you talk, it sounds very fulfilling.  
Julia: It is. It is hard but it is enjoyable because  you meet so many lovely people and I’ve got to know so many people over the years.

RL: Well I was right in my assessment – you are worth having on Rochford Life, so thank you for the tour, for all the information and help you’ve given me and now, finally, for talking a little about yourself  - although I notice as a good employee you bring it back again and again to the Chairman. I look forward to meeting him soon.  Thank you again!