No ordinary Joe: Civic first for new Parish Council chairman

WHEN Joe Beeston banged his gavel to open Shaw and Crompton Parish Council’s June meeting he was marking a first for the administration.

Shaw born and bred Joe, 20, is the youngest chair and councillor since the Parish Council was inaugurated in 1987.

He was co-opted as a Liberal Democrat councillor in May and then unanimously voted into the vacancy previously occupied by former chair David Bibby earlier this month.

But Joe, a former Beal Vale Primary School pupil, has always been passionate about helping his community.

For four years he chaired Royton and Crompton Youth Forum and even before his teenage years could be found helping out.

“When I was nine there was a fair in Shaw and I remember passing with a loaf of bread and a library book,” he told the Correspondent.

“I was meant to take the bread home and the book back to the library. But I just stood there and watched what was going on.

“The second year I decided to help out a little bit and the next year a little bit more.

“It progressed until I was doing what the councillors were doing.

“I wanted to become a councillor when I was 18 but there was a full council so I couldn’t be co-opted. So, I had to wait until 2019 and it has worked very well.

“I am on now for four years but I am hoping to stay on longer if get voted in.

“My aim now is to get my face known in the community, let people know I am out there and try to make something for Shaw and Crompton.”

Joe, who works in crowd management, hopes more youngsters will follow his lead and consider politics as an option.

“Hopefully, there will be more. I have a lot of plans ahead, some I haven’t even mentioned to anyone.

“It should be a good year for me,” added Joe whose civic service will provisionally take place at East Crompton St James Church on June 30 at 3pm.