The clerk to Jeffreyston Community Council, Mrs. Anne Vincent, is celebrating an impressive 40 years in the role.

Mrs. Vincent took on the role in June 1976, but her career in Pembrokeshire local government began in June 1964 as committee clerk/secretary at Narberth Rural District Council.

Alongside her role at JCC, Mrs. Vincent has worked in various municipal positions over the years, including at Tenby Town Council as the minute clerk/secretary during Mr. Stef Court’s tenure as town clerk.

Fulfilling the same duties at the newly-formed Pembroke Dock Town Council from 1986 when Mr. J. A. Meyrick Owen was town clerk, Anne continued in that role until in she became town clerk herself in June 1996.

Anne says her April 2008 ‘retirement’ was short-lived as she returned to act as PDTC’s financial officer, until June 2010, when she ‘finally retired’ - but says she hopes to continue her uninterrupted 40 year stint at Jeffreyston Community Council until the 2017 local government elections next May.

JCC’s immediate past chairman, Clr. Robert Scourfield, offered his thanks for Anne’s sterling commitment, telling the Observer: “Forty years’ service is a terrific achievement and the community is fortunate to have a clerk of such long standing and with such deep local knowledge. Anne has seen many changes in local government both at local and county level and has steered the community council carefully and methodically through them all. Such continuity and commitment is rare these days, and we congratulate Anne on her sterling service to the Jeffreyston community.”

Local county councillor, Clr. Jacob Williams, who represents Jeffreyston and East Williamston community council areas, told the Observer: “I’d like to congratulate Anne, she has a wealth of local knowledge and her dedication is self-evident in reaching this ruby anniversary. Despite saying she’ll step down next May, I reckon community councillors hold out some hope that Anne will ’go for gold’ and stay on another ten years - because I know she’ll be a tough act to follow.”