TOWN Councillor Beryl Austen has retired from Kingsteignton Town Council, formerly parish council after serving the community of Kingsteignton for 30 years representing the East Ward, writes Shirley Simmons.

Beryl was first co-opted to the parish council in 1993 and has since been elected in seven local elections.

Beryl served two terms as chair of the parish council in years 2003 – 2005 and when Kingsteignton gained status as a Town she was our first Deputy Mayor in 2009-2010 and in the following year became Mayor. Beryl later fulfilled the role of Deputy Mayor for four consecutive terms from 2017-2021 and again this last year from 2022-2023.

She has been very much involved within the community since having moved to Kingsteignton in 1987 from being a former hotelier in Teignmouth.

In her years, Beryl has served as a school governor of St Michaels C of E Primary School, was a member of the fundraising committee applying for the bids for building the Kingsteignton Youth Centre and has been chair of the KYC trustees and management committee and continues as a committee member to this day. She has also been a council representative of the trustees of Kingsteignton Village Trust as well a tree warden. She is also a trustee of another charitable trust serving the needs of local residents.

An active lady, Beryl was a founder and is also a life member of the U3A (Teign University of the Third Age) a group of retirees who consider themselves as retired but not retiring, who share their life skills with other members. She is also an active member of the Post Meridian W.I.

Beryl has also served as an Independent Teignbridge District Councillor over many years with a particular interest focussed on the planning committee which she has held the position of vice-chair as well as chair.

She also had the privilege of being chair of Teignbridge District Council in 2006.