‘Mr Local Democracy’ retires after 35 years’ service

A long-serving senior town hall official retires today (Thursday 31 March) after 35 years of public service, earning tributes from across the political spectrum.

Mark Wall, 60, the head of democratic services at Brighton and Hove City Council, was described as “the face of public service at its best”.

One insider said that he was “Brighton’s Jackie Weaver” in reference to the official who ended up trying to keep order at a notoriously rowdy online parish council meeting last year.

Mr Wall himself said: “My role requires having the trust of all councillors, and being regarded as impartial, and able to ‘influence’ them as required to ensure that the democratic process can operate effectively.”

He joined the old Brighton Borough Council in 1986 and was promoted to his current post 19 years ago – in 2003.

Another colleague described him as “a quiet fixer”, adding: “He keeps the wheels turning for the cycle of meetings that are needed to ensure that decisions are made and recorded properly.”

The mayor of Brighton and Hove, Councillor Alan Robins, said: “Mark has served under administrations of all political colours with integrity, impartiality and absolute dedication. He has been the face of public service at its best.

“Mark has been the keystone that holds the democratic decision-making machinery together in Brighton and Hove – and our democracy has been much richer for his work.

“The active political culture and vibrant public engagement in our city means it is always challenging for whoever is the head of democratic services. But Mark has done it with flair and absolute professionalism.

“At a personal level, he has supported me as mayor both in council meetings and in running the Mayor’s Office.

“I want to thank him for all his years of dedicated service to the council and wish him all the best in the future.”

When the mayor paid tribute, Mr Wall received a rare standing ovation at a meeting of the full council.

Mr Wall said that he had to be a “broker” and that this meant “having to manage expectations behind the scenes so that councillors can fulfil their roles and decisions can be taken appropriately”.

Brighton and Hove City Council is not unusual in having no party in overall control. It’s been a “hung council” for about 20 years – and that can add to the challenges facing officials.

But Mr Wall said that he enjoyed “working in a highly charged political environment” with the “ever changing make-up of the council”.

He said: “For me, it makes the role more interesting as the political picture changes regularly – and the dynamics of how the council operates.”

What are the hardest parts? He said: “Managing expectations in a minority administration and maintaining that trust I have with all councillors – without that, it would be difficult to fulfil the role.”

A central part of his job, he said, was “to support the decision-making process of the council, working with councillors and officers to facilitate council and committee meetings, ensuring that these are open and transparent and that public engagement can take place”.

He started as a trainee committee administrator in December 1986, having graduated from Teesside University – then known as Teesside Polytechnic – with a degree in social studies and a diploma in public administration.

He went to school in Shoreham and Lancing and lives with his wife Nicky in the family home along the coast in Goring. Both of his children are also public servants.

His role – which might once have been known as the clerk to the corporation – is one of those key backroom jobs that rarely attracts headlines.

So what did he make of the parish council meeting that “went viral” last year when one councillor shouted “You have no authority here, Jackie Weaver”?

Mr Wall said: “There is a clear need to be confident in your own abilities and knowledge of the democratic process.

“It also highlighted the need to know your members and have some foresight into what might happen at the meeting – and again the need to have the trust of members so that they will accept your advice.”

Mrs Weaver was standing in as an outsider in a toxic environment during one of the coronavirus lockdowns.

Mr Wall’s team were also tested when the country first went into lockdown two years ago. He said: “The pandemic brought new challenges, with committee meetings being held virtually.

“There was a need to ensure councillors, the team and officers were able to use Skype and then Teams as platforms for the virtual meetings.

“It meant having to learn these systems quickly, train others, ensure the platforms were available on devices and that members of the public could still interact at meetings, as well as getting our own equipment upgraded to support the new virtual meetings systems.

“All of this when people were concerned about the impact of covid and having to ensure the decision-making process could operate in a virtual environment.”

Whether responding to the coronavirus pandemic, coping with the ever-changing political make up of the council or with all manner of other challenges, Mr Wall has been a keen advocate of “member development”.

Helping the members of the council – the councillors – to learn more about how to do their job should mean that they are better placed to serve the public.

It should also help with the working relationship between councillors and officials, and the continuing efforts of Mr Wall and his team have won recognition with an award known as Charter Plus.

The Green leader of the council, Councillor Phélim Mac Cafferty, said: “The comments we get only demonstrate that Mark is respected by councillors, officers and residents alike.

“Given the active political culture and vibrant public engagement in our city means only an especially dedicated pair of hands is up to the job.

“Mark is effortlessly patient, open and diplomatic when residents play their rightful part in the democratic decision-making process when they submit deputations, questions and petitions.

“We most likely cannot appreciate what has been involved from Mark, supporting hundreds of meetings and dozens of oral questions and petitions every year.

“I know councillors of all parties are keen to give their sincere thanks to Mark for his long and distinguished service. I wish Mark all the very best for a happy retirement.”

Councillor John Allcock, joint leader of the Labour opposition, said: “Mark’s operated with the patience of a saint and immense tact when dealing with the challenges of a ‘no overall control’ council and a complex committee system.

“Through his work, he has aided transparency and democracy and the politics of our city.

“On an individual level, I know that all councillors have found him extremely supportive.”

Conservative leader Councillor Steve Bell said: “It is often said when someone leaves after so many years of service that they will be missed, they will leave a void and have big shoes to fill.

“I don’t think that these words can ever go far enough to praise the work of Mark Wall over all these years of service to the council and the city.

“Mark is a friend to all councillors and shows no favour, treating all with respect and courtesy. Nothing was ever a problem and all problems were always solved with a smile.

“It is a very sad day for us who have had the privilege to work with him over many years. We will miss his optimism, professionalism and wisdom.

“He worked tirelessly for us all day and night and for this, and everything he has done, thank you.

“Now, the final act is to say we wish him and his family well for the future – enjoy your time together.”

Mr Wall hopes to keep walking and mountain biking in retirement. He inherited a paddleboard from his late brother so may try learning a new skill as a way of remembering him.

And given his many years of public service, it will surprise few who know him to learn that he is thinking about using some of his new-found free time for volunteering.