As most of you will have heard by now, there is to be a new Post Office facility in the Village based in Margaret Kettle's shop (thank you Margaret). The Office will be run on a part time basis by Mr. Jonathan Royal, who is the Postmaster at Plumley, and is planned to be open for business on 1st November or soon after.

The Post Office will be open from 12 noon to 5pm on Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays and will offer the same range of services as before, such as the cash payment of pensions, benefits, tax credits etc., but not motor vehicle licence renewal.

The present Parish Clerk, Mike Howard, has decided that he now wants to fully retire and that he will step down from his position at the end of the financial year, 31st March, or earlier if his successor wishes to be in place before that.

This is a unique opportunity to become involved in every aspect of the affairs of the Parish at a time when the role of the Parish Council is becoming more widely recognised by each of the higher tiers of local government and by National Government as well.

The position is part time only for around 54 hours each month, at times largely to suit the Clerk, in return for which a modest but very reasonable salary is paid.

No experience is necessary as full training will be given but the Clerk needs to be both numerate and literate and to have at least a very basic ability in the use of a computer which is provided in a well equipped, custom made Office in the Village Hall.

If you like the sound of the job and would like to be considered, please contact any Parish Councillor or if you simply want some more information about what is entailed give Mike a ring on 535114 who will be only too pleased to answer any questions.

At last and after so many delays and false starts by the Borough Council, the first phase of the new play area is now completed and open for business, largely thanks to the persistence and financial intervention of the Parish Council.

It is hoped that all Residents with younger children will enjoy the new facility and the Parish Council can only apologise for it not being open in time for the school holidays but this was due to circumstances entirely beyond its control.