Cllr Paul Thomas - Priorslee

13/10/2026

We joined the Brownies!

We couldn’t miss the opportunity to visit the 1st Rainbows & Brownies group, and join in the singing, dancing and games.

The girls were a bundle of fun but showed us how they were writing invitations for their Promise event. Congratulations to Margo Richens and her team on leading the group for 25 years! This is what Priorslee is all about - community minded people quietly getting with giving to others.

This is why we are so pleased to provide a grant to support their Christmas 🤶 trip to the Friends of Telford Town Park Wonderland. We hope you have loads of fun!

11/10/2026

Is this really what we have come to expect ?

Over the past few weeks, litter has been strewn across Gatcombe Way Green over weekends. Every morning, discarded cans, coffee cups and other rubbish can be found in the gutter along Gatcombe Way. But what I came across this morning at the junction with Finsbury Drive was particularly disgraceful.

The Teece Drive play area is another persistent problem, with litter regularly left behind for others to deal with.

What makes this even more frustrating is that the regular skaters at the skatepark kindly take the time to collect their litter and put it into bags. They are demonstrating exactly the sort of community spirit and personal responsibility that we should all be able to expect.

So, what is the solution? We can provide bins, arrange collections and encourage people to take pride in where they live. But none of that will make a lasting difference if people simply don’t care about the impact of their actions on others.

Priorslee is our community. Our green spaces, roadsides and play areas belong to all of us, and we all have a responsibility to look after them.

Please, take your rubbish home or put it in a bin. It really isn’t too much to ask.

A little consideration goes a long way. Surely, we can do better than this?

11/10/2026

Distraction burglary: Warning and advice


We are urging residents to be vigilant after a possible attempt at a distraction burglary in St Georges.
The victim was visited by a man described as an older gentleman that was well dressed. They claimed to be looking to buy gold or costume jewelry for cash. On this occasion no items were stolen but the description of the man and what he was saying is similar to a previous burglary in Muxton.

We have some simple tips to follow which can minimise risk to a distraction burglary and how to deal with ‘cold callers’ at the doorstep:
If someone knocks on your door, check who it is by looking through a window or peep-hole. If it’s not someone you know and trust, or a business caller who has made a pre-arranged appointment – DO NOT OPEN THE DOOR! This advice applies regardless of whatever uniform the caller appears to be wearing, the ID card they are carrying or however urgent their business claims to be. Tell unexpected business callers to leave and come back later at an agreed time when you have someone else with you. In the meantime, check their credentials by calling the organisation they claim to represent. Do so by searching the company name and number online. As any number they might have given you could be for an accomplice of a potential offender. Report suspicious activity to the police by calling 101 or going online at www.westmercia.police.uk/report -No matter how small it may seem, your information may help with investigations and prevent legitimate scammers from committing a crime. Do not be worried about offending callers at your door if they are genuine they will understand you being cautious, if you feel rushed or pressured do not answer the door.
If you aren’t comfortable contacting us directly, you can pass on information anonymously to the independent charity, Crimestoppers, by calling 0800 555 111 or by visiting their website: www.crimestoppers-uk.org
If you ever feel at risk, or a crime is in progress, please always dial 999.
Thank you for your help. It is only by the police and the public working together that we can prevent and detect crime.

PCSO Hayley Smith

We're an independent charity that gives people the power to speak up to stop crime 100% anonymously.

09/10/2026

Rachael and I were delighted to be invited to Thomas Telford Primary Free School’s
Harvest Festival this morning. 🍂

It was a real pleasure to see the children sitting so quietly and behaving so beautifully as they listened attentively to the story behind the tradition of Harvest Festival and why it is celebrated.

The morning continued with a lovely selection of harvest-themed songs, sung with such enthusiasm and charm. It was wonderful to see the children taking part and sharing the spirit of the occasion.

The generous harvest donations will be distributed to the YMCA by members of the Ironbridge Lions, who also joined us this morning and were treated to the children’s wonderful performances.

A heartfelt thank you to Elise Davies for inviting us to share this special occasion, and to all the staff who worked so hard to organise such a lovely event.

A wonderful celebration of the harvest, community spirit and the importance of helping others. 🍁❤️

06/10/2026

Royal Mail … the appalling service continues.

I have been following up with Royal Mail and received a similar response to that received by our MP, Shaun Davies which I’ve previously posted.

I had asked if Shaun could visit our sorting office to discuss the appalling service we have been receiving for almost a year.

Despite their reassurances, nothing has changed.

“Dear Paul,

Thank you for getting back to me. I am writing to update you on my work to address the long-running failures with the Royal Mail in Telford.

As you may recall, when Royal Mail responded to my letter in the summer, they agreed for me to visit a sorting office in Telford so that I could see for myself what was going wrong. They told me about improvements they were making to their service which they claimed would resolve the problems your residents have been experiencing – but several months later it’s clear that the problems are persisting. I hope that by going into a sorting office and seeing the system up close, I can find out whether what they have been saying is true or not.

After some delay in their part, we have now agreed a date for this visit and I will be going in November. I will update you as soon as I have carried out the visit, including on any next steps that I identify during the visit, and I’d be grateful it you could cascade those updates among your residents.
In the meantime, please do keep me posted on your residents’ experiences – whether they see any improvements or whether these problems continue. I want to assure you that I will not stop fighting until Telford residents are receiving the consistent service that we expect of the Royal Mail”.

05/10/2026

🚦 New Toucan crossing proposed for the A5 Telford Way

The Council will shortly be advertising a public notice for consultation on proposals for a new signalised Toucan crossing on the A5 Telford Way, close to Priorslee Roundabout.

The proposed crossing will replace the existing uncontrolled pedestrian refuge island and, once approved, will provide a safer, controlled crossing point for both pedestrians and cyclists.

This should make crossing this very busy section of the A5 significantly safer and easier, particularly for those walking and cycling between Priorslee and the surrounding areas.

This is a significant improvement which I am sure will be welcomed by local residents and anyone who regularly walks or cycles in the area.
The work is currently programmed for the October half term.

📄 Please refer to the attached documents for further information.

26/09/2026

Overgrowth clearing Redhill Primary School.

Following concerns I raised about the overgrowth of nettles and other vegetation along the footpath from the Castle Farm Way underpass, past the side entrance to Redhill Primary Academy, I’m pleased to say IdVerde has responded very quickly and cut everything back.

The difference is significant, and the footpath is now much clearer and safer for everyone, particularly the children using it to get to and from school.

As a Councillor, I believe it’s important not just to raise concerns, but to follow them through and make sure action is taken.

Credit to IdVerde for responding so promptly. It’s good to see a problem identified and resolved quickly for the benefit of our residents.

25/09/2026

Just a reminder

☕️💚 MACMILLAN COFFEE MORNING 💚☕️

We’re getting ready for our annual Macmillan Coffee Morning, and we’d love for you to join us!

📅 Saturday 26th September

⏰ 10am – 12pm-ish

📍 5 Highgrove Meadows, Priorslee, TF2 9RJ

🎗️ Why are we doing it?

Cancer touches so many of our lives, whether through family, friends or people we know and love. Macmillan Cancer Support provides incredible help to people living with cancer and their families — from specialist nurses and practical advice to emotional support and someone to turn to when they need it most.

Since we started in 2014, we’ve raised over £8,000 for Macmillan, and we’d love to raise even more this year! 💚

🍰 How can you help?

Please come along and enjoy a cuppa, cake and a bit of fun! We’ll have:

☕️ Refreshments

🍰 Cake stall

🎟️ Tombola

🎁 Raffle

…and more!

If you’re able to donate cakes, tombola prizes or raffle prizes, we would be incredibly grateful. Donations can be dropped off at 5 Highgrove Meadows, or we can arrange to collect them.

Every pound raised goes towards Macmillan Cancer Support, helping people and families through some of the most difficult times of their lives. 💚

Please share this post, bring your friends and family, and come along to support a fantastic cause.

Thank you so much for your continued support! ❤️

The Highgrove Meadows Community Group

24/09/2026

Macmillan Coffee Morning ☕️

Today I attended the first Macmillan Coffee Morning held at the new St. Georges and Priorslee Parish Centre at The Gower in St Georges.

It was wonderful to see so many residents supporting this important event, although there was also a little sadness for me personally. With only a few exceptions, I have attended the regular coffee mornings over the years and have always enjoyed meeting residents, catching up with familiar faces and, of course, listening to the issues and concerns that matter to them.

The creation of our own Priorslee Parish Council marks an exciting new chapter for our community. Over the coming months, we will be working through the transition to establish the new Parish Council, which will become fully operational from 1 April next year.

We are also looking forward to having a new location for our Parish Council and community activities, giving us the opportunity to hold our own events and, most importantly, provide a place where Priorslee residents can come together.

So, while today was tinged with a little sadness, it was also a reminder of the many great community events we have enjoyed together. I look forward to welcoming Priorslee residents to our very own events in the future.

A big thank you to everyone who supported today’s Macmillan Coffee Morning and to all those who continue to make these events such a success. ❤️

24/09/2026

Local Conservative councillors attended a training course delivered by Telford & Wrekin Council on the new planning legislation introduced by the Labour government.

Although the Labour Government have entirely removed democratic oversight and decision making from the planning process, the council's planning team has taken steps to ensure that elected representatives at all levels are able to make representations to planning officers directly. It's not a substitute for planning committee decisions but it's the best that can be done within the law.

The training was well planned and informative and will help your local Conservative representatives better serve their communities.

Present were:

Cllr Nigel Dugmore (Muxton)
Cllr Tim Nelson (Newport)
Cllr Rachael Tyrrell (Priorslee)
Cllr Paul Thomas (Priorslee)
Cllr Stuart Parr (Hadley & Leegomery and Wrockwardine)