Shaftesbury Town Council is pleased to announce the appointment of Sarah Smith as the new Town Clerk and Responsible Financial Officer, following a comprehensive recruitment process. Sarah will take up her post on Monday 7th July. She brings with her over 18 years of experience in town planning and a strong commitment to local governance and community development.
The selection of the new Town Clerk followed a rigorous process initiated at the March Full Council meeting, where councillors appointed a specialist recruitment agency to oversee the search. The vacancy was advertised nationally, including on the National Association of Local Councils (NALC) platform. A panel of three councillors, selected by a majority vote of the Council, conducted interviews. Each candidate was asked to deliver a presentation as part of their interview, allowing the panel to assess their understanding of the Council’s strategic priorities and local challenges.
Sarah’s professional background spans residential, commercial, leisure, and rural planning projects. She is a chartered member of the Royal Institute of Town Planning and holds a master’s degree in Spatial Planning. Sarah has previously worked for an independent town planning consultancy and a national social housing provider, as well as a retirement homes developer. Her transition to local government is a natural progression, and the Council believes her depth of knowledge and broad experience will significantly benefit both the Council’s strategic direction and the wider Shaftesbury community.
In welcoming the appointment, the Mayor of Shaftesbury said, “Sarah comes to us from the world of Town Planning, where she has worked for the last 18 years. With a clear desire to move into the world of local council administration, Sarah impressed us with a fantastic presentation, demonstrating a forensic assessment of our website and information on the council’s Strategic Plan, Neighbourhood Plan and many other initiatives, all of which she touched on. As a chartered member of the Royal Institute of Town Planning and with a masters in Spatial Planning, Sarah’s skills in that area will be of huge benefit to our town. In her 16 years with an independent town planning consultancy, Sarah has worked across residential, commercial, leisure and rural projects, followed by a period working with a large, national social housing provider and more recently a retirement homes developer. As planning exists entirely within the local government sphere, we have no doubt that Sarah will make the move into local government with ease. We are excited to see where Sarah’s existing expertise, coupled with her infectious enthusiasm and excitement at joining our Council, will take us but we anticipate good things ahead.”
Sarah shared her thoughts on joining the Council.
“I am honoured to join Shaftesbury Town Council and collaborate with councillors, local organisations and residents to shape the town’s future. With my extensive experience in town planning, stakeholder engagement, and managing development projects, I am committed to serving as Town Clerk and Responsible Financial Officer. This role provides an opportunity to make a meaningful contribution to the community. I am pleased to be part of a proactive and forward-thinking Council, and I look forward to helping the town’s success and growth.”
Sarah will begin her duties as Town Clerk on Monday 7th July. She will be supported by Billy Maddock, who has been serving as Interim Town Clerk and will transition to the new role of Deputy Town Clerk. Billy has extensive experience in town council operations, including policy development, budget management, clerking meetings, and community engagement. Her continued involvement will help ensure a smooth transition and continuity in the Council’s work.