Coronation celebration

LOCAL residents are being invited to celebrate the coronation of King Charles III in style with a huge musical extravaganza taking place on the great day –with fireworks to round it all off Melbourne Parish Council is putting on the big free admission event on the fields of Melbourne Junior School to help people celebrate a new King on the throne

Gates open on the day on Saturday, May 6, at 2pm, with the official opening by parish council chairman Terry Summerlin and Griselda Kerr, Derbyshire’s Deputy Lord Lieutenant, at 3 45pm

There will then be an afternoon of music starting off with a knees-up from Chas & Dave tribute act

Gertcha at 4pm

Tony Scarth, of early noughties

Stars in their Eyes fame, brings his Tom Jones tribute act to the Melbourne stage at 5 30pm before Abba

Fever – a tribute to the Swedish icons – hope to make everyone into dancing queens when they begin their performance at 7pm

It’s all topped off with Absolute Bowie, official winner of Best Band in the UK at the National Music Tribute Awards

Following the afternoon of music everyone is invited to watch a firework display from Browns Field at 10 30pm

Food will be available on the day from local companies including Gourmegg, Project D, Wayne Spiers’ hog roast and El Capo’s Pizza and there will also be refreshments from Leatherbritches Brewery and Amalfi White

People are invited to go down to the field and make the occasion truly memorable, but are respectfully asked not to take dogs as they will not be allowed in

The Local Conservatives in South Derbyshire are fielding candidates with a wealth of experience in business and council matters and are committed to making the changes necessary within the Council that are needed to cope with the challenges we see ahead.

Below you can read what our candidates for Melbourne & Aston wards have to say.

David Smith Martin Fitzpatrick

“I have served as a District Councillor for Melbourne since 2019. The greatest reward for being a Councillor is in helping residents with their concerns and problems. Getting involved and helping residents with issues regarding planning applications, council housing needs or repairs, anti-social behaviour issues or grass cutting and grounds maintenance, is the real essence of the role of a Councillor and it’s the part I enjoy the most.

If re-elected this May I will ensure that I am fully accessible to all residents in our area and will be fully committed to listening to you and helping with your needs.

The next four years will be hugely important for our villages development and I am committed to serving the area I call home.”

Peter Watson, Neil Atkin & Daniel Corbin

“I am very proud to be born and bred in Melbourne and my family have farmed the land and run businesses in this area for several generations. I have served on Melbourne Parish Council for over 20 years and I am passionate about the area in which I live. It alarms me that the Councils own financial forecast predicts that the Council could simply run out of money in 2027 and be forced to make major cuts to services. If elected in May I will push for change at the council to ensure that services are delivered more efficiently and the council spends your taxes more prudently.

The other area that greatly concerns me is the creation and adoption of a new local plan that will cover housing, business premises, greenbelt / open spaces and infrastructure in the District up to 2039. This plan will have a huge impact on the lives of all residents in South Derbyshire and I want to make sure that the communities of Melbourne, Kings Newton and Stanton by Bridge retain their unique rural characters.”

“As your three current District Councillors we have served the Aston Ward Parishes of Aston on Trent, Barrow upon Trent, Elvaston, Shardlow & Great Wilne, Swarkestone and Weston upon Trent for the four years from 2019.

The greatest reward for us as your Councillors has been in helping residents with their concerns and problems with issues regarding planning applications, council housing needs or repairs, anti-social behaviour and appearance of our rural environment.

If re-elected in May, it alarms us that we may be forced to make major cuts to services because the Council’s own financial forecast predicts that the Council could simply run out of money in 2027.

We will push for change at the Council to ensure that services are delivered more efficiently with your taxes spent more prudently. The creation and adoption of an updated new local plan that will cover housing, business premises, greenbelt, open spaces, and infrastructure in the District up to 2039 is also of concern because it will have a huge impact on the lives of all residents, and we intend to ensure that our communities retain their unique rural characters.

We are now seeking your support in the District Council elections on Thursday 4th May by voting for Neil Atkin, Daniel Corbin and Peter Watson.”