A FORMER RAF officer has been appointed town clerk of Cricklade.

Charlotte Rogers-Jones has taken over from Shelley Parker, who left the post in January to become town clerk of Marlborough.

Charlotte, who lives in Chippenham, believes her main challenge is creating opportunities for ‘community enhancement’.

“The big topic at the minute is neighbourhood planning which is about the town enforcing planning over the next 20 years,” she said.

Charlotte said the town aims to have as much consultations possible with residents and stakeholders over the next few months, to hear their views on tourism, traffic, planning, housing and employment.

She said: “It’s about allowing the community to have an influence on planning which will have to be taken into account by Wiltshire County Council before they make planning decisions.”

Charlotte has a wealth of experience, having previously held the position of town clerk in Mangotsfield, in South Gloucestershire, and in Radstock, North Somerset She began her career in the in RAF before moving to North Yorkshire Council as a project officer in 1996.

She was later employed to offer advice to Cambridgeshire’s town and parish councils before being employed at Westonbirt School, as a fundraiser.

Asked why she wanted the Cricklade town clerk job, Charlotte, who started the job on Monday, said: “I love the area and I like the extreme diversity of the job – which can go from discussing finance to colour schemes for hanging baskets.”

Mark Clarke, a member of the town council, said: “With a wealth of experience of local government we are confident that she will be a great asset to the town council and the residents of Cricklade.”