Who are your Councillors?

You may recognise the names but who are your Parish Councillors?

Cllr John Britton

I live in Northwood and am a serving magistrate. I have worked for Royal Mail as a union rep and am retired for 5 years.  I am keen to get involved in any policing matters and the issues over rural crime are of particular interest to me and that being a councillor will hopefully give me a platform to consult with our rural policing teams to strive for improvement for parishioners in our area.

Cllr Peter Broomhall

I moved to Sunnyside Farm Aston Wem in 1966 helping to run the dairy herd of Holstein Friesians on a family farm. I was a member and Chairman of the Shropshire Holstein Club. I am a member of North Shropshire Conservative Association which prompted me to become a Parish Councillor.  I joined Wem Rural Parish Council in 1995 because I enjoyed working with people and helping to solve problems and working with my fellow councillors to make Wem Rural a better place.  I have been Chairman twice. I served on North Shropshire District Council for 9 years on the cabinet looking after Procurement and Asset Management.  On retirement, from farming I moved into Wem and decided to join Wem Town Council when a vacancy came up for the West Ward.  I fought a By-Election as a Conservative candidate and was elected in December 2009.  I served as Mayor of Wem in 2012-2013 this was a great honour.   

Cllr Huw Edwards

I’m a relative newcomer to the Wem area, having moved to Paddol Green only 3 years ago from rural East Sussex. I’m thrilled to have  the opportunity to be involved with the parish council, representing the local  community and helping to make Wem Rural the best it can be.

I’ve worked in the computer industry for most of my life, covering project management, tech support and sales so I feel I can combine my experiences from a complex, ever changing  corporate world with a love for rural life and willingness to get stuck in and help.

Cllr Julia Goode

My family and I moved to North Shropshire in 1993, following my husband, Marks’ posting to RAF Shawbury as a Helicopter Pilot Instructor.
It was clear that after many years of moving from one RAF base to another, we would settle in North Shropshire. A somewhat unknown gem as far as we were concerned.

I became self-employed in 1995, my area of expertise is Criminal Defence Litigation Support. Through my work, I have come to understand many aspects of policing and the value of a strong and caring community. We are most fortunate to live in a beautiful rural area but this in itself can create issues for the youth of the area as boredom can be a catalyst for offending. I believe it is important to try to provide support and interests for young people in the area, youth clubs are a good option.

I feel it is important to try and aid young people in being able to buy their own homes, so affordable housing is of particular interest me. Road safety is topic high on my agenda.

I look forward to serving on Wem Rural Parish Council and supporting the concerns and needs of Newtown Ward.

Cllr Jan Hilditch

I have lived in Newtown for over 17 years and have been a teacher in the Wem area for over 25 years. In that time I have done lots for the local area, particularly in supporting young people. I have served as a school governor for 20 years, I was the treasurer for the Friends of Newtown School for a couple of years and I supported the local Guide troop, even going on a weeks camp with the group. I am interested in looking after the environment and hearing from young people about how they would like to see the local area develop. In particular I know how important fibre broadband is for local businesses and also affordable housing.

In my spare time I enjoy horse riding and driving so road safety is also an area I am interested in.

I look forward to serving on Wem Rural Parish Council and supporting the concerns and needs of Edstaston Ward.

Cllr Andrew Matthews

I have lived in or close to the Parish for all of my life.  I care and love the area and wish to put something back into the community.

Cllr William Minty

I am a Parish Councillor for Wem Rural Parish Council representing the Edstaston Ward. I have lived in Shropshire for most of my life. I want the best for rural Wem and those who reside, work and visit the area. I have joined the council to represent the parish ward and get involved with local matters to support the work already being done by Wem Rural Parish Council.

Cllr Denise Morgan

Being Parish Councillor is my time to give back a little, I have lived and worked in Shropshire for 30years after hanging up my Army wife cape!  I bring with me 3 ps:  Positivity Patience and Passion.

Cllr Jordan Page

I am 22 years of age and I’m very passionate about Wem, I have been most of my life. I would like to bring a youthful view to the parish council, but I am also looking forward to listening and learning from the experienced councillors.

One of my main reasons for being a councillor, I would like the younger generation to feel confident they have a voice within the parish.  Secondly, I love Wem’s sense of community and I would like to play a even bigger part in the future. The parish council would give me a deeper understanding of how decisions are made for the community. I would use my standing to further include the younger generation within community events.

Cllr Peter Slack

I moved to Wem Rural with my family at the start of 2007, having previously lived in and around the Midlands. Having been slightly nomadic earlier in life, I can honestly say, we should cherish what Wem Rural has to offer.

I joined the parish council through co-option in 2013, and subsequent re-election in 2017 and 2021. Parish councils provide a vital part of the mechanics of local government. They represent, and are represented by, people who have their local community’s needs and wants at the very heart of what they do. Like so many things in life, you and they get out what you put in.

Being a councillor gives you the opportunity to give something back to the community, and get involved in shaping the issues that will be important to our area for future generations. I have also been amazed at just how much goes on in our parish. It’s a real privilege to be involved in.

Cllr Len Staines

Our family moved from Shrewsbury to Barkers Green in August 1986, and I joined the Parish Council in May 1991.  In the following years I soon got to know many of the residents of Barkers Green, Aston and Tilley, and found myself being asked to support them over the many and varied issues that concerned them, frequent topics being related to highways and planning. Following up issues has generated for me an interest in local history, with interesting discoveries on talking to residents whose families have been here much longer than I.

I have always been interested in wildlife and conservation, and being surrounded by lovely countryside and a wide range of habitats has enabled me to develop this further. I’m grateful for the constant guidance and encouragement from our Shropshire Councillors.

All in all I enjoy being involved with the local community, and I always appreciate the support and friendship of other Councillors, and of course, our parishioners.

Cllr Liz Vernon

I have lived in Edstaston for over 45 years and fully appreciate how fortunate I am to live in such a wonderful area. I have been a teacher in schools in Shropshire and Telford for 43 years,  Since my retirement, I have been able to contribute to my local community in a more positive way.  My husband has run a local business for 47 years and is now joined by our son.

I am a long standing member of the Edstaston Village Hall Committee and hold the position of Secretary.  We organise events in the hall with the purpose of getting people together to enjoy themselves but the hall is also used for private functions and community needs such as meetings and  elections. I have been a volunteer for the recent extension project which has had wonderful community support. Alongside others, I have been involved  in digging stone, moving rubbish, cleaning up the car park and cleaning in the hall.   I also support the functions run by St Mary’s Church, Edstaston.  I enjoy meeting up with people who have become very good friends.

In 2011 I joined the Parish Community Plan group because I enjoy geography, history, the local environment and community involvement.  I then became a councillor for the Edstaston Ward for four years and have extended this for a further four years.  I have been the Chair of Wem Rural Parish Council for three years until May 2021.

I understand the importance of the contribution of agriculture, local family and small businesses to Wem Rural area.  They employ local people and they are loyal and support businesses in the area and on Wem Industrial Estate.

We are very fortunate to live in Wem Rural and I would like to see a balanced approach to planning for the future providing jobs and local housing, both affordable and market value,  so that local young people and families can enjoy the privilege of living and working  in a rural area.  There are times when development is needed to revitalise and help us move forward so that our local town of Wem and our rural schools can continue to thrive both socially and economically.