Score draw in battle of the clerks

Friendly rivalry is the norm for the neighbouring market towns of Wymondham and Attleborough. So, when their respective town clerks, Trevor Gurney and Hilary Elias, decided to go for the same professional qualification 18 months ago, they had a competition to see who would achieve it first.

Friendly rivalry is the norm for the neighbouring market towns of Wymondham and Attleborough.

So, when their respective town clerks, Trevor Gurney and Hilary Elias, decided to go for the same professional qualification 18 months ago, they had a competition to see who would achieve it first.

Each checked up on the other's progress as the weeks passed, giving encouragement along the way.

But neither turned out to be the winner, for by coincidence they qualified within a day of each other and it was declared a dead heat.

And, when the two town councils later applied for quality status, the portfolios went before the adjudication panel on the same day - and both succeeded.

“It's all this friendly rivalry as to who would get there first, and in the end we got there together,” said Mrs Elias.

“The first thing we were aiming for was the Certificate in Local Council Administration (CiLCA), as to get quality status the town council has to have a clerk with that qualification.

“It was a good outcome and we are all very pleased.”

Mr Gurney said that, although the communities were in different districts, they had a lot of similarities, including both being situated on the A11 and the Norwich-Cambridge rail link and that each were facing large expansion schemes.

He added: “Wymondham and Attleborough have always been friendly rivals, and we have been trying over the last few years to bring the two towns together.

“I got my letter saying I had qualified on the Wednesday and Hilary got hers on the Tuesday, and the town councils' submissions went to the same meeting - so in essence it's a score draw!”