Shropshire Star

Mayor of Broseley enjoying third term

From helping provide water to hundreds in need to brightening up the town with new statues – the Mayor of Broseley has been busy during his third term in office.

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Mayor of Broseley Simon Harris

And now Simon Harris, who was also elected as a county councillor earlier this year, has praised the community effort after water returned to the thousands of homes affected by the burst pipe.

Volunteers across Telford rallied together day and night last week to supply people with bottled water so they didn't go without.

Mayor and county councillor Simon Harris thanked the town's "troopers" who helped out over the three days.

He said: "You don't realise how important water is until it's gone. It was good to see everybody in the town getting together to help out.

"I think on the Sunday people were starting to get nervous and when they woke up on Monday there was still no water.

"A gang of us fetched four tonnes of water in bottles from William Brookes School. Then a gang of helpers delivered 28 pallets to the football club to store it.

"We distributed it and had the biggest gang of volunteers you've ever seen in your life. You've got to get stuck in and if you don't people don't appreciate you."

Meanwhile, Councillor Harris has been working on a host of projects in recent months with six statues erected across the town a year ago – which he says have helped boost trade and tourism.

He is helping launch the Broseley Sports Initiative in an attempt to bring in more funding for the town's clubs and is rallying for more council housing to support younger people.

"We've been working with the sports clubs to development a sports initiative, he added. "Everything in Broseley we have to do ourselves.

"We've brought together the football club, tennis club, bowling club and the cricket club to chase bigger plots of money providing we all stand together.

"People can come here for anything. Your door has got to be open because people voted me in."

Councillor Harris is also part of the Community Enablement Team between Broseley and Much Wenlock.

Every Saturday, councillor Harris sits in the town square to speak to residents as an alternative to a surgery.

To get in touch email simon.harris@shropshire.gov.uk