Dear Parishioners of Highley,

We are really pleased to advise you that West Mercia Police have listened to our collective feedback and are investing in a much-enhanced provision of Police service and support to Highley and the neighbouring Parishes.

Highley Police station has been refurbished with new equipment and with additional staff and resources and will now be the Patrol hub for all the local parishes, second only to Bridgnorth.

As well as our new PC Nick Nolan, who has already been making his presence known around the village and beyond, he is now joined by a new Sergeant, Stephen MASON and Inspector, Damien KELLY, who along with existing PCSO J. Fletcher and a soon to be appointed additional PCSO, provide a full team, all of which will be in attendance on shift rota at the Highley Police station.

This means that the station will be manned 7 days a week from now on by at least one of the team, but often a few of them together.

PC Nolan advises that they are now taking a much more proactive approach to crime detection and resolution of anti-social behaviour and are already having great results.

There will a weekly Police surgery at Highley which will be indicated by the new Police whiteboard in the Severn centre reception.

One week it will be in the daytime and the next week it will be in the evenings, so as to ensure all are catered for in terms of availability.

At the surgery, you can come and meet your local police officer and discuss any sensitive but relevant Policing matters for which they will provide you with the best advice and guidance in how to resolve.

This enhanced presence and a serious intention and enthusiasm from the Policing team to improve the environment in Highley is very welcome and we hope you will join us in making them feel greatly welcomed and part of our community.

Now we have this much improved resource, it is essential that we all play our part in reporting any crime or antisocial behaviour that we encounter immediately, regardless of how minor you feel it might be.

This will be recorded and allocated to the team and action will then be taken in the most effective way.

By reporting it through to 999 for emergency, and 101 or the internet for reporting non-emergency, then the safer neighbourhood team can respond and monitor the outcomes of detection and enforcement so much more effectively and this allows the police to channel their efforts to where they are needed most.

PC Nolan will also provide regular updates of how crimes are progressing through the neighbourhood matters app and so please sign up for this free service by contacting the new Police team or via https://neighbourhoodmatters.co.uk/#SignUp

Please come along on to the Open day this Saturday 20th April at the Severn Centre for the grand reopening of the Highley Police Station and meet the team.

Your support and presence will send a really important strong message of support to the team and encourage them to do their best by us.

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 Parish Councillor for Highley Parish, following the resignation of Councillor Lucas on 11/3/2024

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 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 17/4/2024 .

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 Shirehall, Abbey Foregate, Shrewsbury, Shropshire SY2 6ND

The telephone number for further guidance is 0345 678 9015.

This notice is dated 26/3/2024

Alison Palmer clerk@highleyparish.co.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.