It's third time luck for St Asaph Mayor, Cllr Peter Scott

Mixing with other civic leaders in North Wales has not been possible due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

"I have missed the other mayors," said Cllr Scott. "We go around and we get introduced as the chain gang!

"It's nice to know the other mayors, but I haven't had that for three years.

"It's the same people there for 12 months and you get to meet them and we chat.

"We are all councillors and something to do with each community.

"It's a good way to mix and bond together."

Cllr Scott added: "I'm on my third year as mayor for this time.

"I was going to have my charity ball in March 2020 but that's when Covid hit."

He has been unsuccessful in trying to arrange a ball since then and he had hoped to stage one next month, but that too has now been cancelled.

"They let me have the third year because I had done nothing in the first two years and I've been doing nothing this year," he added.

During his first few months in the role, Cllr Scott did host a civic service at St Asaph Cathedral.

Then, last November, the city was able to mark Remembrance Day.

"We did last year because there must have been a gap when things calmed down.

"We had a service and a parade down to the cenotaph, and a service there. That was good," he added.

Getting used to a new way of working during the pandemic over the last two years has become the norm.

"You normally get civic services for all the mayors in North Wales," said Cllr Scott.

"And when it comes to January, February, March it's all the charity balls.

"I'm getting save the dates in November and it's cancelled now.

"It (Covid) has not gone away and there's nothing we can do about it."

There has been a little bit of normality in the city, with the Christmas window competition taking place over the festive season.

The Claire Michelle salon on The Roe won with its display, following on from the Flowerpot Cafe, which triumphed 12 months earlier.

Mayor Cllr Peter Scott presents the shield to Claire Michelle, winner of the St Asaph Christmas window competition

"Everyone within the St Asaph community has been brilliant, facing the challenges we've had, said Cllr Scott, who has praised the roles of key workers and volunteers in the community, as well as residents and fellow councillors.

"We have done the best we can," he added.

"Normally, you're opening new businesses and visiting charities."

A new way of conducting the business of the council has also been required.

"Meetings have all been by Zoom," he said.

"I couldn't do Zoom three years ago, but now...!

'Turn your camera off I can't hear you! Are you muted?

"Zoom and Teams have become a part of life and they will be for some time."