Ask Ephraim

As seasoned followers of The St Ivean know, Ephraim appeared frequently on earlier blogs, dispensing opinion, knowledge, advice, folklore and myth for the price of a pint or two. So this fount of all wisdom has been invited back to answer any questions you care to put to him. His mailbox will soon be full - so get your questions in soon.

From: Edna Wybert (Mrs.)
St Ives, Cornwall

What's St Ives Town Council for?

Oh, Edna, that's a stinker! If I'd known the questions were going to be so hard I would have thought twice about agreeing to write these posts.

Now, if you had been asking about St Ives in Cambridgeshire, you could go to that Town Council's excellent website for an answer. Years ago, The St Ivean suggested our St Ives should have a site but the idea was turned down. Perhaps The St Ivean should try again. But I'll attempt an answer to your challenging query.

Not long ago the Council did have a reputation. For instance, it won The St Ivean's Moaner of the Year Award 2003. Of course, some of the councillors who made a major contribution to that success - Cllr Beck in particular - have moved on... but these days Cllr Isaacs does his best.

As eminent local resident Stargazey commented at the time:

... I don't think we should be surprised that our council is totally ineffective. It is, after all, just a committee of people of very limited intelligence (and seemingly no common sense or concern for preserving the quintessential character of the town) who have sought public office with the express intention of furthering their own business interests ("I'll scratch your back if you scratch mine").

It's possible that times are changing, especially since a large number of Greens won seats on the Council. But the short answer to your question, Edna, is that I have no idea what St Ives Town Council is for. However, from today I shall be monitoring the Council's performance in an attempt to find an answer and reporting back to The St Ivean.

I hope this helps. Perhaps, though, there isn't an answer at all. As Herr Wittgenstein once famously remarked: Woven man nicht sprechen kann, daruber muss man schweigen.[Whereof one cannot speak, thereof one must be silent.]

Thank you for contacting The St Ivean.