At a time when public confidence in MPs is probably at its lowest for many years, encountering a local politician like Janet makes one wish there could be more like her in Westminster.
Proud to be the first-ever ethnic minority civic leader in Lewes, this friendly and approachable lady with a lively sense of fun and a wealth of natural charm has brought a touch of glamour to the role. But there is steel behind her passionate determination to bring about positive changes, even a hint of the iron fist inside a velvet glove.
As a highly-qualified educationalist, since becoming a town councillor in 2016 one of her priorities has been to recognise and address the problem of disadvantaged young people whose situation can often be overlooked in a wealthy town such as Lewes.
Even as a very young child growing up in a Ghanaian village where education was not high on the agenda, she demonstrated her passion and resolve to take on the authorities when it came to achieving her goal.
Janet and her family moved to Lewes in 2001 when her husband, Dr Anthony Yaw Baah, came to study for a PhD at the University of Sussex.
“He looked at some houses in Brighton but they didn’t seem right for us with three young children,” she explains. “Then one of my husband’s lecturers suggested Lewes, saying it was a place where children would thrive, and so we came here.
“The Meridian line went through where we used to live in Accra and of course it also goes through here, and that seemed like a sign that it was rightfor us. We had been told that it was a very ‘white’ town and that perhaps we might encounter some racism, but that never happened.
“From the very start we were well received and welcomed. Our new neighbours sought us out very quickly, they would come to ask me if I needed any help. Could they cut the grass for me? Help if the washing machine broke down? That kind of thing. And very soon I was happily sharing the school run with other mothers.
“Throughout my life I’ve never experienced any negativity. I believe that in life you get what you give it and I’ve never allowed myself to be negative. I think because I have such a positive outlook, I attract other people who are positive all the time.
“I think Lewes is a beautiful place, full of history and tradition, and with a quirky side to it. But in those first days here, I would never have imagined being its first ethnic minority mayor.”
Becoming involved directly with local politics came about quite by chance.
“I used to deliver leaflets for the Liberal Democrats and a friend of mine, knowing that I had a degree in Sociology and Politics, suggested that I should stand as a councillor in the 2016 by-election. I was delighted to be elected and ever since I’ve done my very best to direct my efforts towards helping address the concerns and problems of the whole community.”
Janet believes her passion for supporting the vulnerable and less-fortunate members of society stems from her childhood – she is one of twin girls, and the more dominant of the two.
“I was quite a strong character but my twin sister Esther was rather vulnerable so I always looked after her,” she says. “When we were about four years old we went to live in a village with our grandparents and great-grandmother – neither my grandmother nor my great-grandmother had gone to school, but with the help of the family bible, I taught myself to read and loved it.
“In the village, children were not sent to school until they were six and the classes were mixed ages. I thought it was totally wrong that even though I could read, I was too young to go to school, so I took Esther with me and we went to the school and sat on the floor in one of the classes for the entire day, refusing to leave. We did that ten times and by the end of the second term the school said we were allowed to join a class.
“When I was just seven I found myself giving literacy and numeracy lessons to children from a nearby slum. Education is a privilege which no child should ever be denied.”
Also at the age of seven, Janet found herself challenging authority again when Esther fell ill with malaria and her great-grandmother insisted on treating her only with traditional methods such as ginger. As her twin’s condition worsened, Janet decided she had to receive proper medical treatment right away.
“Our uncle was a bus driver so we went on the bus to the big city and turned up at the hospital there,” she recalls. “I didn’t know what we should do when we got there so we just went into the first door we saw and that turned out to be the gynaecological department.
“The hospital authorities told me that Esther could not be treated without the authority of an adult to complete the formalities, so although I gave them my uncle’s name, we were told go home. I knew Esther was dying and I refused to leave. Eventually she was treated and recovered.”
When Janet was elected mayor by her fellow councillors, she described Lewes as a town of courage and champions and declared that she wanted to be a new mayor for a new era, creating a fresh environment for all the people of Lewes – a mayor for everyone, promoting partnership working, equality and respect.
She said this required new thinking and new relationships with community groups and businesses to address inequalities and vulnerabilities and that she would provide any necessary support to help vulnerable people, particularly around economic deprivation.
Her determination for pushing boundaries and making things happen has never flagged and she is particularly strongly committed to supporting underprivileged young people and giving them the opportunity to make something of their lives.
She believes that although Lewes is essentially a wealthy community, there is an underbelly of poverty which can leave youngsters feeling isolated and disaffected. The result can not only be the recent spate of vandalism seen in the town but also limit what such youngsters can hope to achieve in the long term.
“Our education system rewards the academic, focusing on the bright children,” she says. “It might not be conscious, but it is systemic, and it favours those who come from a settled family. Sometimes if you watch children in the school playground, you’ll notice that those whose clothes are scruffy will be left standing alone, watching the others play and becoming isolated. I believe no child should be disadvantaged because of their family background.”
Janet has worked closely with the excellent Breaking Down Barriers scheme in Lewes which promotes equality and diversity through learning and she is proud of the many success stories the project has achieved.
She is also very aware that it isn’t just children who can fall into the poverty trap, especially in terms of food poverty.
“Because living in Lewes is so expensive, many people are working just to pay their rent,” she says. “We now have four food banks in the town and one of them is helping families that have a combined total of 450 children.”
Another issue which has recently come to the fore is the number of homeless people seen on the streets. Janet explains that the situation is closely monitored by the authorities and this has revealed that only three are genuinely homeless. She also mentions that the police are actively tackling the problem of ‘cuckooing’ where vulnerable people who have their own flats can find that someone else will take advantage of the situation, perhaps by moving in with them and dealing drugs from there.
Janet acknowledges that funding cuts to district and county councils have resulted to restrictions on services but she is a strong believer in the value of local government.
“Funding is a major issue nowadays and as a town council, we are restricted in terms of money, but we spend it wisely and support many initiatives as well as liaising closely with the district council to get things done.
“What happens in Westminster affects the county, the district and the town but I think the system generally works well this way, as with town and district councils it works from the bottom up, responding to local needs. We are lucky in Lewes to have strong town councillors who have their own interests and passions for elements of the town and do their best to see these are supported and maintained. But I do think that all the levels of local government need to communicate more.”
As her term of office as mayor draws to a close, Janet hopes that she has been able to make a difference in many ways over the past year.
“This mayoral chain I wear isn’t just a chain of office, it’s a chain for change, and I hope I will be leaving a little bit of a mark for the next generation of councillors and mayors.
“One of my passions is empowering young girls – I want them to have the audacity and freedom to challenge things, to ultimately be themselves. I hope that my time as mayor will be an inspiration for others, for young people to take an interest in government at local level and speak out about what issues concern them.”
Janet is currently studying for a PhD but will continue to play an active role in the town council. Does she hope to stand again as mayor in the future? She smiles and points to some of the portraits in the mayor’s parlour, saying that one of those pictured has served as mayor five times, another for six terms.
And does she ever consider that one day she might aim to take her seat in the House of Commons? She smiles again and gives a non-committal shrug. Not a definite no, then, and she would certainly add a welcome breath of fresh air and a determination to stick to her principles to the Mother of Parliaments.
Janet Baah talks to Jo Rothery about how she has used her passion for putting people first during her tenure as the Mayor of Lewes