• The emergency number for reporting Severn Trent issues is 0800 783 4444. 
  • This number is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week and should be used to report issues with water supply and waste water.
  • From a flooding perspective, Please report any issues you experience (including restricted toilet use etc), and don't rely on neighbours reporting it.  Reporting on an individual basis means Severn Trent have a better understanding of what’s happening with their network.

Pontesbury Parish Council

NOTICE UNDER LOCAL GOVERNMENT ACT, 1972 (Section 87(2))

VACANCY FOR A COUNCILLOR

PUBLIC NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN

that a casual vacancy has occurred in the office of Councillor for Cruckton Ward of Pontesbury Parish Council following the resignation on 13^th April 2026 of Councillor Louise Jones

Rule 5(2) of The Local Elections (Parishes and Communities) (England and Wales) Rules, 2006 now applies.

The rule allows TEN ELECTORS for the parish [ward] in which the casual vacancy has arisen to request the Returning Officer to hold an election to fill the vacancy.*  That request must be made within FOURTEEN DAYS, calculated in accordance with the rules,** of the date of this notice.  The fourteen-day period ends on 18^th May 2026.

What if a request to hold an election is not received during the permitted time?

Rule 5(5) of the above Rules will apply.  The Parish Council must, as soon as practicable after the expiry of the fourteen-day period, co-opt a person to fill the vacancy.

The Returning Officer’s address is:

Electoral Services, Shropshire Council,

The Guildhall, Frankwell Quay, Shrewsbury, Shropshire, SY3 8HQ

The telephone number for further guidance is 0345 678 9015.

This notice is dated 27th April 2026

Debbie Marais (Parish Clerk) clerk@pontesbury-pc.gov.uk

*           There is no form of words for this request, which might simply be a letter headed with such words as “We the undersigned being electors for the [Ward of] … Parish, call for an election to fill the vacancy arising from the [death][resignation] of …”.  A template entitled “Request for an Election” is available to download from Shropshire Council’s website – www.shropshire.gov.uk - under “Current Council Vacancies”.  It is helpful if the ten signatures are accompanied by printed names and addresses. 

**             In calculating the notice period, day one is the day following the date of this notice; a Saturday, Sunday, Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, Good Friday or a Bank Holiday or day appointed for public thanksgiving or mourning shall be disregarded, and the period closes at midnight on the fourteenth day after the date of this notice. Rule 5(2) of The Local Elections (Parishes and Communities) (England and Wales) Rules, 2006 now applies.

This week a consultation was launched to seek the views of Herefordshire, Shropshire, Telford & Wrekin, and Worcestershire residents regarding Government proposals to merge police forces across England and Wales.

The Government announced that an independent review into these proposals would be carried out, which could see the existing structure of 43 police forces reduce to 12. This would be the biggest change to policing in more than six decades.

These proposals weren’t in Labour’s manifesto in the General Election; therefore, I am committed to representing the public voice. Through this three-month consultation, I hope to hear from as many West Mercia residents as possible – regardless of whether people are for or against the proposals.

Links to the consultation and further information are available below:

Consultation – Public consultation - police force mergers

Website – Public consultation - police force mergers | West Mercia PCC