If you have an item of local news that you
would like to add to this section, then please contact Dick
Walton on SueDickWalton72@aol.com
Items may be of general public interest or might also be about
individual villagers and their achievements.
Please click above to visit
Norton
in Hales on Facebook 
ARCHIVES for years 2010 to 2004
Click here
Latest additions to our website
FREE Talk on Thursday 15th March 2012
Joe Hawkins is the Head Gardener at Shugborough. He will
be talking about walking from County Durham to Shugborough
looking at 18th Century landscapes and sleeping in temples
along the way! Joe is a very enthusiastic, knowledgeable and
entertaining speaker who has travelled all over the world.
Come and listen to his illustrated talk on Thursday
15th March at 7.30pm in the Jubilee Hall. Reserve your free
place by contacting Jean Dunk on 655838 or entry on the night
space permitting. Everyone welcome.
SHROPSHIRE NEIGHBOURHOOD WATCH
February 2012 - please click
here for full report
Police
Home Security leaflet - please click
here
Over the last 18 months we have
sent out three warnings about a scam - please
click here for the full report.
In 2011, our Norton In Hales
website attracted over 3700 unique visitors from over 50 countries.
Whilst the majority were. of course, from the UK, we were
visited by 130 people from the USA, 75 from Canada, 39 from
Australia and 22 from New Zealand. To pick a few others, we
also had visitors to the website from Vietnam. Jamaica, China,
Brazil and Brunei. High-scoring pages on the website included
The Hinds Head (1399 hits), the village school (1037 hits),
the Parish Council pages (775 hits), the history pages (714
hits), and the local walks (483 hits).
Further down the list, 250 people looked at the cricket club
page and 240 people looked at the local business services
details. We keep a regular watch on traffic through the website
with the help of the Google Analytics facility. More data
can also be generated via the village Facebook page, also
accessible via the village website.
SCAM ALERT -
[Reference: 17/1/12] - This one is pretty slick since they
provide YOU with all the information, except the one piece
they want.
Please click
here to read the full report
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Broadband
Update - work that Shropshire Council has
completed to date
Extensive mapping of current broadband speeds has been completed
so that the extent of the issue is known this work means that
technical and financial modelling can take place.
Qualitative data is being collected to support the business
case for funding and also help develop project outcomes. This
data is being supported by the results from the residential
and business surveys that people are being encouraged to complete.
£2 million has been included in the capital programme
to improve broadband in Shropshire.
In August BDUK confirmed that Shropshire (including Telford
and Wrekin) will be awarded £8.2 million to address
rural broadband. This funding allocation means that real progress
can now be made on progressing the project.
What is Shropshire Council doing now?
Now the BDUK funding figure is known the rural broadband project
team is working to finalise the scope for delivery.
A programme board with member involvement has been created
to oversee the work of the project team.
Work will continue with Telford and Wrekin to confirm joint
project governance and delivery options moving forward
Briefings have been made during the Autumn LJC meetings outlining
the project and the role that Parish Councils will play in
that process.
In November 2011 Cabinet approved further details of the project
and signed off the local broadband plan for Shropshire, this
has been submitted to BDUK for final approval.
The next stage is to procure a technical partner and the state
aid process. Due to the size and complexity of the contract
this will take many months, Shropshire Council are pursuing
various options to reduce these timescales. During this time
demand stimulation work will take place with communities and
businesses around broadband. Where people have concerns about
using the internet support will be offered, we do not just
want to deploy an infrastructure it is important that we ensure
people have the skills to use it.
Conclusion
The final outcomes of this project when completed in 2015
provide a tremendous opportunity, to remove the digital divide
in rural communities, encourage economic growth and allow
the transformation of public services in Shropshire.
For further information please contact Alison Brock 01743
252205 or Alison.brock@shropshire.gov.uk
Notes
BDUK - Broadband Delivery UK is a delivery vehicle for the
Government’s policies on broadband and managing the
waves of funding. BDUK’s goals include facilitating
the delivery of universal broadband and stimulating private
sector investment to deliver the best super-fast broadband
network in Europe by 2015.
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11 January 2012 - ALERT
- please be aware of three males in a white vehicle.
They may be wearing blue overalls and assuming the role of
waterboard personnel. One of these males has an Irish accent.
They have been involved recently in distraction burglary in
Cheshire. If seen please call 101 immediatly with as much
information as possible - thank you.
For information on PACT visit our Local Policing pages at
http://www.westmercia.police.uk/localpolicing/
or to find out more about Crime Prevention and Personal Security
visit our on-line advice centre at http://www.westmercia.police.uk/advicecentre/
To contact us please ring 0300 333 3000 Extension 5811 - In
an emergency dial 999
Or you can email contactus@westmercia.pnn.police.uk
Norton-In-Hales
SATS results
November 2011
We
are delighted with the achievements of our Year 6 pupils on
their recently published SATS results. This was down to hard
work and dedication by the pupils throughout their time at
our school, supported by focused booster sessions in their
final year.
The results are also a reflection of the commitment and effort
of all our staff in striving to give the children at Norton-In-Hales
Primary School the best possible education and a wonderful
platform for entering secondary school.
As a small school we are able to meet the needs of every
individual child to enable them to maximize their potential.
Our nurturing environment encourages each child to perform
at their best, as demonstrated through our excellent results.
Norton-In-Hales Primary School came 16th in the published
Shropshire primary school league tables and top of the table
in North Shropshire.
We have a small number of places available across Key Stage
1 and 2 and welcome parents and children to visit us and see
what we have to offer.
Click on the image to see an enlargement.
Safer Schools Presentation
On
Friday 4th November Norton in Hales C.E School was presented
with their Safer Schools Award by Mr Ian 
Bartlett,
Shropshire County Council Crime Prevention Office and P.C
Mick Sturland, West Mercia Police during their school assembly.
The Safer School Initiative is a creation of West Mercia
Police in conjunction with Shropshire County Council to give
a holistic, practical and realistic approach to school security
and personal safety.
As part of the award, Norton in Hales school also received
a SmartWater Marking kit; a forensic property coding system
which has now been painted onto all the schools valuable property
allowing the police to track the property back to the school
in the event of it being stolen.
Click on an image to see an enlargement.
Grass Mowing Tendering
The Norton in Hales Parish Council is seeking tenders for
grass mowing etc for 2012-2013. For full details and specification
of the work please click
here
Neighbourhood Watch Newsletter
December 2011 - please
click here
The Local Police Winter newsletter
2011 - please click
here
Former
Parish Clerk receives Long Standing Clerks Award
At the Annual General Meeting of the
Association of Local Councils for Shropshire and Telford &
Wrekin, on 
Saturd ay,
5 November 2011, held at Shirehall, Shrewsbury, Mrs Margaret
Edwards was presented with an engraved silver dish and a Long
Standing Clerks Citation in recognition of her 20 years service
as Clerk to Norton in Hales Parish Council. The presentation
was made by the Association's President Mrs PM McLaughlin
in the presence of representatives of town and parish councils
and Karen Roper the County Secretary. Margaret retired as
Parish Clerk on 31 July 2011 having served since 1991.
Recent weekend Art Event at
the Jubilee Hall
The excellent attendance at this event was around 140 visitors
with some 65 attending on the first day. The artists with
initiative and improvisation managed an excellent display
of their work.
An exit straw poll of visitors said the Event was impressive
and they were pleased with their experience. The artists have
indicated pleasure at having put on the Event. Potential further
development can be sought through discussion with the Shropshire
Art Officer.
This event has energised amateur artists, some groups talk
of reinstating art lessons, the school has expressed an interest,
while there has accrued a synergistic benefit with the Jubilee
Hall and the Hinds Head!
An excellent display of talent for the community to enjoy.
The Norton in Hales interactive Art Event was supported by:
North
Staffordhire Hounds meet at Brand Hall, Norton in Hales
The Opening Meet of the North Staffordshire Hounds was held
in the parkland at Brand Hall, Norton in Hales, on Saturday
29 October 2011 by kind permission of Mr and Mrs Michael Taylor.
There was an excellent attendance with over 50 in the field
and very many foot followers. For the season 2011-12 the Joint
Masters are Mrs Anne Hartley and Mr Tim Warren who was Field
Master for the day.
The picture show the hounds in the lovely parkland setting,
some of the field, and finally MFH Tim Warren and the former
MFH Mark Allman.
“Celebration Evening”.
“I have never experienced a village like this in all
my life” were the words of our distinguished speaker
Mr Joe Hawkins, Head Gardener, Shugborough Estate, at the
end of the Parish Council’s “Celebration Evening”
in the Jubilee Hall on 11 October. Joe praised all the parishioners
who had worked so hard to ensure the village looked its very
best as he judged the “Best Front Gardens” on
3 August and then presented the awards, as follows :-
First; “North Lodge”, Bearstone Road - Mr and
Mrs John Mayer (who received the silver cup and a garden voucher
value £30); Second; “Maylea”, 2 Moss Lane,
Betton - Mrs Susan Mayer (voucher for £20); Third; 8
Pear Tree Croft – Ms Paula Turnock (voucher for £10);
Highly Commended; “Norway” Forge Lane –
Mr and Mrs DR Peppitt; “Hazel Cottage”, Chapel
Lane – Mr and Mrs Malcolm McDonald; 4 The Croft –
Mr and Mrs Derek Harvey; Commended; 4 Church Meadow –
Mr and Mrs James Morris; 8 Church Meadow – Mrs Jean
Silvester; “The Heathers”, Churchfields –
Mrs Mary Eardley.
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Ron Lucas conferring the title of Honorary Freewoman
of Norton in Hales on former Parish Clerk Mrs Margaret
Edwards
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“Best Front Garden"
Winner John Mayer receiving the silver cup from the
judge Mr Joe Hawkins with Parish Council Chairman Ron
Lucas”
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Ron Lucas conferring the title Honorary Freewoman of
Norton in Hales on Miss Mary Keay with parish councillors
Neil Groom, Ann Holland and Sandra Kiessling |
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Ron Lucas conferring the title Honorary Freeman of Norton
in Hales on Mr Michael (Mick) Brassington
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Please click on an image
to see an enlargement |
After these presentations, on behalf of the Parish Council,
the Chairman Ron Lucas, was pleased to confer the title of
Honorary Freewoman of Norton in Hales on Mrs Margaret M Edwards
“In appreciation of her exemplary service as Clerk to
the Parish Council for over 20 years (1 February 1991 –
31 July 2011). At all times she was patient, kind, courteous
and industrious. She brought wisdom, good humour and generosity
of spirit to all the duties she was called to perform. The
Parish Council is indebted to her for the high standards she
has set and confers this title with grateful thanks”.
Similarly Honorary Freeman of Norton in Hales was conferred
on Mr Michael (“Mick”) J Brassington “In
appreciation of his distinguished service to the People and
Parish of Norton in Hales as a Parish Councillor for 28 years
(1979-2007) and Chairman of the Parish Council for 22 years
(1985-2007); and also for his long service as a member of
North Shropshire District Council representing this Parish.
Throughout this long period of service he worked tirelessly
for the common good”; and also Honorary Freewoman of
Norton in Hales was conferred on Miss Mary E Keay “In
appreciation of her 50 years service as editor and publisher
of “The Messenger” and also to acknowledge her
outstanding contribution to the well being of the people of
Norton in Hales”. Finally the chairman presented a Special
Citation to the new Owners of the “Hinds Head”
for their “Outstanding Contribution to the Visual Environment
in the Acquisition, Restoration and Opening of the pub”
(14 October), received by Mr Jeff Harrall.
Afterwards Joe Hawkins gave an outstanding and erudite illustrated
presentation on the history of the gardens at Shugborough
including gardens he had visited as a VIP in Sweden and China.
A delicious buffet supper, organised by Cllr Penny Tresadern,
was served and Ron thanked those who had worked hard to make
the evening such a success. The evening closed at 10.15pm.
The Hinds Head re-opened at
6.00pm on Friday 14th October
Steve and Donna Hand, who have taken the lease on the village
pub say
Come along and see the new look Hinds Head
Book a table and sample our new menu
Telephone: 01630 695555
E-mail: thehindshead@aol.co.uk
Looking forward to meeting you all
Steve & Donna
ORDERS NOW BEING TAKEN FOR
EDWARD GILL’S REVISED EDITION OF “DEAR MAM AND
DAD”
Edward Gill writes – “Publication of the New
(Revised) Edition of “Dear Mam and Dad” is imminent.
Here is a flier which has been sent to 70 possible purchasers.
Now 211 pages, the book is about 65 pages longer than the
original and has many more photographs, including some taken
last November at Bellaport. I have also written about the
sad decline of Betton Hall and the happy re-birth of Betton
Chapel – with photos. I have received the printer’s
quotation which enabled me to reduce the price to £8.75
plus £1.75 p&p.
Some months ago, an old friend – a true Shropshire
Lad told me how he was having difficulty in getting his poetry
published, so I volunteered to do it for him. He has previously
written some excellent books about his boyhood as the son
of a farmer in the little village of Little Ness near Shrewsbury.
For information I attach brief details. With kind regards,
Edward 29 September 2011
Please click here to
read the
“DEAR MAM AND DAD”
flier and click
here to read 'A Pennyworth
of Wine Gums' cover
Latest Police Report and Advice
- please click here
The
Parish Council’s “Celebration Evening”
will be held on Tuesday 11 October 2011 in the Jubilee
Hall at 7.30pm. Awards for the “Best Front Garden Competition”
will be presented by this year’s judge, Mr Joe Hawkins,
Head Gardener of the Shugborough Hall Estate, Staffordshire.
Joe will also give an illustrated talk the gardens at Shugborough
and he is an outstanding expert and speaker on his subject.
Free admission and buffet, but please bring your own drinks.
A plate will be provided for donations to defray the costs.
Special Citationswill be made.
The 2011 Norton in Hales Fun
Ride takes place on Sunday September 25th.
The event has been well supported in past years and this
year should be no exception! Please click here for full details
of the event and how to participate. All proceeds from the
event will be donated to Norton village community projects.
Please click here
to download the poster
Art Event
An exciting art event is to be held in late October in the
village. We are lucky to have professional artists living
in the village and they will show how they create their work
in the Village Hall on 22nd and 23rd October .
For further information, please look in the Diary
section.
Hinds Head
- Opening
Soon
New tenants Steve and Donna Hand have now signed the lease
for the Hinds Head and hope to move in during September, planning
for an early-October reopening. Watch this space!!
Tenant required for Brompton
Housing Association flat at 4 Pear Tree Croft, Norton in Hales
2 Bedroom (1 Single room & 1 Double Room) First Floor
Flat, Suitable for a family of three with a very strong Local
Connection to Norton-in-hales.
Bromford Living Child Sharing Policy Applies – Children
of the same sex may share a room upto the age of 18 years.
Children of the opposite sex may share a room up to the age
of 10 Years.
Rent Per week £82.31 - Service Charges per Week - £4.30
– Total Per Week £86.61
Please contact Natalie Matthews at Brompton Housing Association.
Tel. 01902 378706 or Ron Lucas, Chairman of the Parish Council
on 01630 652956
Judging
for the Parish Council’s “Best Front Garden Competition”
On Wednesday evening, 3 August 2011, the Parish Council Chairman
Ron Lucas accompanied our “Best Front Garden 2011”
judge, Mr Joe Hawkins, around the village and the lanes of
Betton, Bellaport and Ridgwardine, as he judged the parishioners’
front gardens. The Norton in Bloom Group and parishioners
had made an extra special effort to ensure the village looked
at its very best for the judging. Joe Hawkins, who is the
Head Gardener of the Shugborough Hall Estate, was delighted
with what he saw and was thrilled to have been asked to undertake
the difficult task of choosing the first three Top Gardens,
three Highly Commended and three Commended. However, afterwards
he made his decision and the awards will be made at our “Celebration
Evening” on 11 October 2011. Further details later.
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St Chad's Church |
Village Green |
"North Lodge"
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"Yew Tree House" |
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8 Napley Road |
"Meadow Croft"
Forge Lane
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8 Pear Tree Croft |
Joe Hawkins
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Please click
on an image to see an enlargement |
Joe Hawkins
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"Hazel Cottage"
Chapel Lane
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"Maylea" Betton |
Parish Council appoints new
Parish Clerk
Following interviews of three excellent candidates in the
Jubilee Hall on 14 June 2011, Norton in Hales Parish Council
are pleased to announce the appointment of Deborah Shearsmith
as the new part-time Parish Clerk with effect from 1 August
2011 to succeed our retiring Clerk, Margaret Edwards, who
has been in post for more than 20 years. Deborah lives at
1 St Chad’s Way, Norton in Hales; she has lived in the
village for 10 years and is the mother of children at the
village school. Deborah has a wide experience in banking and
industry and will bring all her experience and personal skills
to her new post.
Ron Lucas, Chairman of Norton in Hales Parish Council, said
“our parish councillors had a most difficult task in
making a decision as all three candidates were very strong
indeed; however, we felt Deborah has the necessary skills
to succeed Margaret Edwards who has served the Council so
well for over 20 years. Deborah knows the village and has
worked as an active volunteer at our village school and with
the Caterpillars Pre-School; she has chaired meetings and
has taken responsibility for various personnel issues including
salary reviews and recruitment. I am delighted with the appointment
and I look forward to working with Deborah in the future”.
Fun Ride 2011 - money for local
causes
The 2011 Fun Ride Committee invite tenders from village organisations
to apply for a share in this year's proceeds. The amount to
be distributed will depend on how successful the Ride will
be, but as an indication , last year it raised in excess of
£3000.
Applications giving brief details of how the money will be
used need to be put in writing to the Chairman Mrs E Parton,
Norton Wood Farm, Norton in Hales.
Closing date is 1st July 2011 so that a decision can be made
before the event which is on 25 September 2011. For further
details please ring 01630 653030.
Broad band issues for Norton
in Hales
Updates on Broadband from Shropshire Council - please
click on the date to read the latest information
29
May 2011
Brand Hall Horse Trials –
3-5 June 2011, at Brand Hall, Norton in Hales
Organisers of the Brand Hall Horse Trials, host to the Charles
Owen British National Pony Championships in Shropshire are
very pleased to announce that Siddle Equine will be the title
sponsor for the first running of the Brand Hall CIC* 3rd –
5th June 2011.
Organiser, John Plant said: "We are most grateful to
Mark and Chantal Siddle who have supported the event in the
past with their veterinary expertise and have come forward
to be the foundation sponsor of this new CIC*.
"Mark runs a very successful Veterinary practice in
Shropshire and Chantal has been eventing for many years and
offers a high standard of equine services at Long Barn Nr
Wem. International events at this level could not be sustained
without help, their encouragement and assistance at this time
is much appreciated and will strengthen the Brand Hall team."
Regarding event preparation, John says: "Entries are
coming in and the course is well underway, the old turf in
the park makes the ground almost perfect and we have embarked
on a mulching mowing regime which in current conditions will
make the going first class with a new sponsor what more could
you hope for."
Entrance £5 per car including passengers Pedestrians
from the village free.
Vacancy for Part-Time Clerk
to the Parish Council
The Parish Council has received the resignation of
our Clerk, Mrs Margaret Edwards. We received this with considerable
regret as Margaret has given exemplary service to the Council
and Norton in Hales parishioners since she took office 20
years ago. We have all benefited greatly from Margaret's experience,
wise counsel and commitment to the parish and we shall seek
to thank her in a tangible way in due course. She will continue
in office until a new Clerk is appointed.
We now seek a replacement Part-Time Parish Clerk and we should
wish to appoint someone who resides in the parish if possible.
Applications are now invited by 6 June 2011 - Click
here to see advertisement for this position.
The Royal Wedding - 29 April
2011
To celebrate the marriage of HRH Prince William with Miss
Catherine Middleton at Westminster Abbey the St Chad's Parish
Church Bellringers rang a special peel of bells lasting for
thirty minutes at three o'clock in the afternoon. They had
an unusual visitor in the ancient bell tower, nine-year old
Jennifer Ray, from Warwick, Rhode Island, USA, who with her
parents Roger and Debbie Ray and brother Jonathan were spending
a few days with Parish Council Chairman Ron Lucas and his
wife Cynthia at their home in Betton. Jennifer thoroughly
enjoyed the experience and tested one of the bell ropes afterwards.
The pictures show the eight bellringers after their sterling
efforts, with Jennifer joining them and afterwards testing
one of the bell ropes. It was such a great day for Jennifer
to watch the wedding
on TV and then have this special experience which she will
share with her school friends on her return home in a few
days' time. Meanwhile her brother Jonathan travelled down
to London that morning to enjoy the atmosphere of the day.
Norton's Annual Fun Day was
another great success.
On a sunny but blustery May 1st, several hundred people enjoyed
a range of activities, stalls - and Royal Cream Teas!!
Here are a few photos taken on the day
Community Sprots Club 2011
AGM minutes - please
click here to read full details
Wind farm group remains alert
- please click
here to read The Vortex news release April 2011
Royal Wedding Fun Day - Sunday
1 May 2011
Click here to down load PDF poster
North Staffordshire Hounds Meet
at Oakley Hall
On Saturday morning, 12 February 2011, the North Sataffordshire
Hounds met
at the nearby Oakley Hall (by kind permission of Mr and Mrs
Feddie Fisher
III). There were about 30 riders and many more followers.
The hunt trail
led them around the fields and woodlands of Betton in the
Norton in Hales
Parish. It was a beautiful early spring day and everyone enjoyed
themselves. MFH Tim Warren was Field Master for the day and
Georgina Allman
was on gate closing duties.
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A Very “Muddy”
Weekend for Norton In Hales Mums & Children
Norton in Hales Mums & Kiddies was out in force last weekend
braving some epic events!
Wendy Stead, Debbie Shearsmith, Sam Hatton and fellow runners
form Market Drayton Running Club Dave & Debbie Scotcher
and Angie Garton, took part in HELLRUNNER on Saturday 12th
February at Cannock Chase along with 1,700 more mad hatters
!! This is otherwise known as Hell in the Middle! Whilst it
was a glorious day, it was approximately 11 miles of mud,
lots of steep hills, more mud and hills, lots of water and
finishing with the bog of doom where they were waist high
in thick sludge! Please click
here to read the full report.
Norton in Hales Community Pavilion
For an updated summary of the accounts for the new
Community Pavilion see the Playing
Field page
Norton-in-Hales Community Sports Club have
received a further grant award of £7,207 from the Northern
Marches Leader Programme. 
The
Programme has been set up to support projects which aim to
promote community regeneration and development, through improving
the productive and sustainable use of community amenities.
The award will fund the completion of the changing room area
of the new building. Funding has also been made available
to install heating, bar shuttering and internet access to
allow the building to be made available for use all-year round
for a variety of recreational and educational purposes.
Due to the extremely cold weather and the Christmas period,
work on the new building has been held up briefly but the
work due to be carried out on the basis of this grant should
be complete by March 2011.
New Parish Councillor Co-opted
At
the Parish Council Meeting on 4 January 2011, the Council
was pleased to co-opt Mrs Penny Tresadern of Yew Tree House,
Bearstone Road, Norton-in-Hales, as our new Councillor to
succeed the late Mr John Lovatt. Penny Tresadern was educated
in North Wales and Chester College before embarking on a teaching
career where, after various appointments, she became Deputy
Head of St Mary’s Catholic Primary School, Wolverhampton,
before retiring in 2004. Penny and her husband came to live
in our village about 12 years ago. Her personal interests
and hobbies include gardening and horticulture and her front
garden was Highly Commended in the Council’s ‘Best
Front Garden Competition 2010’.
For a full list of Parish Councillors with a recent photograph
please visit the ‘ Parish
Council ’ page
