Mayor Edwards has announced her plans to resign in May, claiming the “weight of the leadership” is taking her away from “actually being in the community”.
Mayor Edwards was elected into town leadership in May 2023 and has announced her plans to leave the position a year later. A self-proclaimed solutions- based problem solver and no stranger to a protest, she has implemented lots of initiatives and projects to benefit the community over the past nine months.
Deputy Mayor and Kirstie’s successor Alan Rowe proudly lists her achievements. “Kirstie is of course a marine enthusiast first and uses her knowledge to inform and push Falmouth forward, but she supports all green initiatives. On a smaller scale that has included leading the Plastic Free Falmouth team, getting water points sited throughout the town and on a larger scale, she has driven forward the saving of Pendennis Headland, has renewed FTC communities to Blue and Green initiatives, is pushing the pedestrianization of Church Street to remove cars and she tirelessly champions green issues in a hundred other meetings and forums.”
Whilst “incredibly proud” of her accomplishments, Kirstie has found the position difficult at times, admitting, “As the Mayor versus being a standard counsellor, you have to represent everybody, you can’t be seen to have a bias.”
Earlier this year, she received pushback from locals in response to some of her sustainability initiatives including installing Cornwall’s first living sea wall in Falmouth Harbour.
Kirstie has decided to step down so that she can focus more on her passions including sustainability, saying “it [the Mayorship] takes me away from actually being in the community, doing the community stuff on the ground, being involved in the projects and that's the bit that I love.”
She believes that on the ground is where the real difference can be made. “I think I can have more impact being able to actually be on the ground and driving things,” admitting her “hands can be a bit tied” when she has to be “totally mindful of representing everybody all the time.”
Alan Rowe feels the weight of filling Kirstie’s shoes in May. He says, “I have known Kirstie for over ten years and have always admired her passion and devotion to others.” He admires her "can do attitude which clearly gets results.” He adds, “How the heck do I follow that?”
In reflection of her time as Mayor, Kirstie says, “It's been a real privilege being able to use the role and do something different with it.”
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