Ludlow’s new town clerk, Linda Thomas, started work this week and was welcomed into the post by Mayor Marie Glaze.
Councillor Glaze, said she was delighted that Mrs Thomas had started work. She said: “It’s a new era, a new start. Mrs Thomas is a lovely lady and I’m sure she’ll do well for the town. We’re delighted to have her here with us.”
Linda Thomas left her position as clerk for Knutsford Town Council, Cheshire, to come to Ludlow.
Asked how she was settling in Ludlow, she said: “We haven’t moved yet, house-wise. We will be in bed and breakfast or rented accommodation until house sales are sorted in Cheshire.”
Mrs Thomas will be moving with her husband and their two dogs and cat. She has two step children and six granddaughters.
On her first day, Mrs Thomas said: “There have been some nice bits and some where you think ‘ooh where do I go for that?’ But my motto is ‘never a crisis, merely a challenge.’ ”
Her appointment follows the departure of former clerk Paul Russell, who received a £20,000 payout following a dispute with Councillor Tony Pound.
Asked how she saw things moving on Mrs Thomas said: “I don’t think it’s for me to move things on, it’s water under the bridge. It’s past history and the council work goes on irrespective of what happened regarding personalities in the past. Hopefully it doesn’t impact on my role.”
She added: “It’s a new area so I’m looking forward to getting to know it. I always like meeting new people, that’s a big part of the job wherever you are, so that’s going to be nice.
“There are big times of change ahead for all of Shropshire and I’m looking forward to working with the council in order to get the best deal of Ludlow possible.”
She paid tribute to Richard Walden, the interim clerk. She said: “I couldn’t ask for a better person than Richard to take over from. He’s set in place good procedures and policies.”
She started working in local government in the 1970s and was an expert in education and finance. She became the assistant town clerk at Knutsford in 2003, before being promoted.
