The St Austell Bay Chamber of Commerce has elected a new chairman and management committee.
David Halton, of web marketing business Control My Sales, was elected following a meeting at St Austell Brewery last week.
Chamber president, James Staughton, MD at St Austell Brewery, said: “I was delighted with the attendance and support shown at the meeting. I look forward to helping and working with the new chairman and his committee to ensure that St Austell has a positive future.”
Halton added: “I believe it is important that the chamber helps to build a strong, modern, efficient and progressive business unity for St Austell. I will endeavour to ensure that every member in the chamber is entitled to have their say, that all decisions will be made in a democratic way and that all actions of the chamber will be transparent to the wider community.”
Jacky Swain of Commercial Estates Group, who had been serving as acting chair of the chamber, said: “There is momentum in the town at present with a younger tranche of the business community showing passion for their town and we need to harness that and take it forward.”
However, 15 members chose to hand in their resignations an hour and a half before the start of the meeting, perhaps the most significant being White River Place.
Cornwall County Councillor, and previous chairman, Tom French, said: “Clearly I am disappointed that this small yet significant group of anti Coyte Farm businesses have chosen to leave the Chamber, but the meeting last Wednesday was a positive meeting all about bringing in a new younger and vibrant set of officer to the management committee.
“I also think it is right to emphasise that the chamber is for all businesses in the greater St Austell area and not just the town centre which, after all, now has the BID as the principle focus in support of the town centre businesses”
Ian Chalmers of Phillips Frith Accountants continues as treasurer, while new nominees; Mark Lewis of Lewis Property Consultants as junior vice chair and freelance writer, Jessica Milln, as secretary, were elected unopposed.
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