MARLBOROUGH is on the hunt for a new town councillor after one stood down early this year.

Vanessa Hillier, who represented Marlborough East, stepped down from her role. She was originally co-opted onto the town council in December 2019.

The Wiltshire Gazette and Herald: Ballot box Photo credit should read: Rui Vieira/PA Wire.Ballot box Photo credit should read: Rui Vieira/PA Wire.

This leaves a vacancy in the ward. The town council has issued a formal notice of the vacancy and if 10 electors contact the returning officer by February 3, 2022 an election will be held.

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Town mayor, Mark Cooper paid tribute to the former councillor thanking her for her hard work and for her attitude while on the council.

A post on the town council’s website said: “Vanessa was very involved with the response to the pandemic – in March 2020 and before the country went into the first lockdown she was an early volunteer to help those who were shielding, elderly or just plain anxious about leaving home.

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“She joined in with approximately 300 other residents to help shop and pick up prescriptions for people.

“If this wasn't enough, she was also a very busy key coordinator for the volunteer scheme, working closely with the assistant town clerk to match requests for help to available volunteers and making sure the volunteers all had PPE – not an easy task at the time when masks and hand sanitiser were in such short supply.”