Happy Municipal Clerks Week Thames Centre!
Let's celebrate our remarkable Municipal Clerk Jana Nethercott and Deputy Clerk Sara Henshaw for their invaluable service to our community. They're the heartbeat of local government, ensuring everything runs smoothly.
Did you know that the role of the municipal clerk dates back centuries? From medieval England to modern-day Thames Centre, clerks have been the bridge between citizens and their government, preserving our history and guiding us through the complexities of governance.
To honour this special week, let's shine a spotlight on Jana Nethercott. Her journey into this career stemmed from a blend of passions: politics, history, and law. For her, being a clerk means playing a small part in history while preserving it.
Q1: What brought you into this career?
A: I was fortunate enough to have had an opportunity to work in many departments within my time at the City of London, but I knew I found my home when I first got to the Clerks Department. It combined a few passions of mine – politics, history and law. I have long been fascinated by both politics and laws- more the creation of the law and the ins and outs of reading it. I was also fascinated that I got to play a small part in history, while preserving it through being the keeper of the by-laws.
Q2: What do you find most fulfilling about supporting both council staff and the public in your role?
A: I find most fulfilling explaining the process to people……the general public have no idea what goes on behind the scenes or the ins and outs of what is done each day, yet being able to speak to them and explain to them in words they understand (the municipal world loves its acronyms) what and why things are done this way, they appreciate it and it helps make government less scary.
Q3: Share a fascinating tidbit about your duties that people might not be aware of?
A. Clerks are one of the oldest professions in government…..there are references to them that pre-date biblical times. The beginning of the office of city clerk in England can be traced back to 1272 A.D. in the history of the Corporation of Old London. The "Remembrancer" was called upon to remind the councillors (members of the council) what had transpired at their previous meetings, since the meeting of the early councils were not recorded in written minutes. – Thankfully no one relies on my memory for the minutes!
Inspiring Clerk Quote
" What differentiates the role of the clerk’s office in a municipality is its dual focus on ensuring key government functions are accessible to the public to both review and participate in AND conducted with complete neutrality. A clerk’s work is about the process and the how, rather than the policy what and why."
This week we celebrate Municipal Clerks! Thank you Jana Nethercott for all that you do!!!