Our Councillors
Oliver Laws
Tel: 01362 637487
email: mroliverjlaws@gmail.com
Alan David Brailsford
Tel: 07773 397934
email alan.brailsford5@gmail.com
Luke Adams
Tel: 07980 937957
email lukus0505@gmail.,com
Bill Horncastle
Elsing has been the chosen home for me and my family since the late eighties, though of course I am still an incomer. Prior to that I traveled extensively and worked aboard. I still work a few hours a week at the University of East Anglia. My leisure activities are now largely rowing and D.I.Y. As a Councillor I have been concerned with the new Anglian Water sewer, the maintenance of the allotments, the '100 Year Wood', etc. I see the allotments, the Village Hall, the Mermaid Pub and St. Mary's Church as valuable social meeting places in these days of digital isolation (Covid 19 permitting).
Tel: 01362 637305
email c.horncastle@uea.ac.uk
Philip Sanderson Butler
I moved to Elsing in 2017 with my wife Judy, where we live in the former Guild House on the crossroads. I am a retired Chartered Surveyor, having worked and lived in Norwich, where my career included the District Valuer's Office, local estate agency with David Temple and Co. and national commercial practice with Fivers Jonas and finally the Estates Division of Norwich Union.
My 28 years with N.U. included 14 years based in Norwich and 14 years in the City of London, In London I was an Asset Manager at Aviva Investors, where I specialised in industrial and warehouse property. I retired in 2014.
I spend my time walking our Labrador, gardening at home and at the allotment, golfing, fishing and running the AirBnB letting of our garden Annexe. Judy is Church Warden at St. Marys and she set up the Elsing residents WhatsdApp group. We are members of the Elsing Heritage Society and we are both season ticket holders at Norwich City. I have some knowledge of most aspects of residential and commercial property, including town planning, property and contract law and litigation, property agency and construction and managing
building contracts. As such I hope I can contribute to the Parish Council.
Tel: 01362 638507 and 07761 367916
email psb65@live.co.uk
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Stuart Chaplin
19 years ago, when I settled in Elsing, I was returning to my grandparent's county. Having been on my Parish Council in Gloucestershire, I came to work for the Norfolk Association of Parish Councils, where I learned much about the functioning of local councils.
I feel we should do what we can to support community organisations and to that end I started to help on the Village Hall Committee. I ended up as Treasurer and ran 3 fund raising quizzes complete with sounds and pictures.
My service on Parish Councils extends over 23 years (9 in the Forest of Dean and 14 in Elsing). I hope that experience has been of benefit. We can all make a difference and Parish Councils are an effective way to get involved in community life.
My other interests lie in working on the Bure Valley Railway and I do voluntary work with the Salvation Army in Dereham.
Tel: 01362 637430
Helen Palmer
Tel: 01362 638414
email hjp948@gmail.com
About the Parish Council
The Parish Council is made up of 7 councillors who represent the village on various matters. So the Parish Council has a full compliment.
We are effectively the third tier of local government, the other two being Norfolk County Council and Breckland.
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COUNCILLORS
The Role of a Councillor
They are elected to represent the interest of the local community as a whole and promote a harmonious local environment. The number of elected Councillors depends on the size of the area. In Elsing we are able to have 7 Councillors and are lucky enough to have 7.
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Our Councillors are;-
Mr Bill Horncastle
Mr Oliver Laws
Mrs Helen Palmer
Mr Stuart Chaplin
Mr Luke Adams
M Philip Butler
Mr Alan Brailsford
Local Councils are the first tier of governance and are the first point of contact for anyone concerned with a community issue. They are democratically elected local authorities and exist in England, Wales and Scotland. The term 'Local Council' is synonymous with ' Parish Council, 'Town Council' and 'Community Council'.
Local Councils are made up of locally elected Councillors. They are legally obliged to hold at least four meetings a year. Most meet on a monthly cycle to discuss council business and hear from local residents. District and County Councillors regularly attend parish meetings and report at the Annual Parish meeting. Councillors are expected to attend meetings on a regular basis.​
Elsing's District Councillor is Cllr Gordon Bambridge.
Elsing's County Councillor is Cllr Bill Borrett.
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Councillors must abide by a Code of Conduct, a set of rules on how Councillors are expected to behave. They must also declare their financial interests in the parish, details of which are kept by the District Council.