THREE of Down Council’s longest serving staff members are looking forward to moving to their new Downshire home.
Claire Keenan, Mary Connolly and Norma Annett who have clocked up almost 115 years’ service between them, admit the working conditions they have had to put up with at the Strangford Road for almost four decades have been challenging.
“It will be tremendous for everyone to be under the one roof at the Downshire. There is a real family atmosphere at the Strangford Road and strong friendships have been built up over many years with staff sharing good and bad times together. This will continue in our new home,” said Claire.
“The new building is beautiful and we are all very impressed. The current council offices have passed their sell by date and while we are excited about moving, there is a little sadness that many of our former colleagues won’t be coming to the Downshire with us.”
For the past 38 years Claire has worked at the Strangford Road, having been appointed shortly after the reorganisation of local government which led to the formation of Down Council.
She has worked for four chief executives and 30 council chairmen and women and Claire is now preparing for another major change as Down Council merges with its neighbour in Newry and Mourne in 2015 as part of the review of public administration.
Claire started her secretarial duties on a manual typewriter and council minutes were dictated on to a LP record which she then transcribed to produce a written copy of who said what.
As she prepares to move to the Downshire, Claire admits she has mixed emotions about leaving a place which holds many happy memories.
She added: “While a pleasant building is welcome, it’s really the people you work with that make a happy workplace. I have been fortunate over the years to have worked with a great bunch of colleagues at the Strangford Road, sadly, some of whom have retired or deceased.”
Mary, who started with the council in April 74, said the current size of the organisation bears no resemblance to what it was nearly 40 years ago.
“Staff numbers are about five times bigger and there are now more departments. When I joined the council four people worked in the recreation department, with four or five responsible for public health. But as the district grew and legislation changed, the workforce expanded,” said Mary.
“I have had a brilliant 38 years with Down Council and made such good friends who will remain friends long after I have left the organisation.”
Mary added: “The new building is a world away from what we are leaving behind and is much better than I ever imagined it would be. The filing system is certainly more modern and a lot easier to use than the one I was presented with when I started in 1974. Down Council has certainly embraced the 21st century and will provide an even better service for ratepayers.”
Norma, who joined the local authority’s building control department in November 1974, was one of five members of staff. She used an electric typewriter with letters copied using carbon paper as there were no photocopiers.
“A new extension was built in the early 1980s and a clerical assistant was appointed to help me as building work across the district started to escalate,” she explained.
“In 1984, building control staff moved to their current base which is removed from the main headquarters and you had no contact with staff in other departments.
“But that will all change when we move to the Downshire; it’s something I’m really looking forward to, said Norma.