RETIREMENT OF Pc COLIN MINGAY

I WOULD like to share the following message sent by Pc Colin Mingay to Royston Town Council on his retirement. I was really touched to receive it and would like to add to it my personal tribute to Colin as I know how much I, and I am sure the whole town

I WOULD like to share the following message sent by Pc Colin Mingay to Royston Town Council on his retirement.

I was really touched to receive it and would like to add to it my personal tribute to Colin as I know how much I, and I am sure the whole town of Royston, valued his services to our community.

He has always been highly respected and valued for his unstinting hard work, commitment and care and I know how much of his own personal time he has given to help individuals in trouble over the years.

We are all going to miss him tremendously as a Royston police officer.

Colin has always personified how we want our police to be, and his patience and dogged determination to be the best he can be at his job, has always been extremely impressive.

Cllr LINDSAY DAVIDSON

A POLICE constable's career is normally 30 years.

I joined at 18 and am now middle-aged, so I have completed my tenure.

The decision to leave was a tough one and I almost signed up for some more years of service, but I feel about ready for a change.

I spent almost a third of my service as Royston's community police officer during which time I have enjoyed the support of Royston Town Council.

I came to know and respect our councillors. I became well aware of their extensive work load and recognised that each one of them has a strong social conscience.

I came to realise what it is like to be a public figure in Royston and the ­responsibility that those, working in our community, carry at all times.

I have doubtless failed to please all of the people all of the time and I'm sure that councillors will know the pressure of that feeling.

That having been said, I have found providing a service to our special and unique community to be a personally rewarding experience.

There is a generous and supporting spirit of community in our town that I was pleased to tap into.

The people of Royston have a right to judge us because of the important positions that we hold.

As a person of Royston, my judgement of the town council is one of gratitude for its commitment, a personal understanding of the frustrations of its role and a positive appreciation of the way in which each councillor demonstrates their care for our community.