September...

A GROUP of volunteers is hoping its plan to run Melbourne’s library will find favour with Derbyshire County Council.
The library is one of around 20 that the county council wants to transfer to community-led groups. And the local volunteers’ initial expression of interest has been accepted. The Melbourne group’s next step is to develop a sound business case to understand the finances more clearly and show how a community library might be viable.
The county authority has said that for the first five years it would earmark funds to help the group become established. After that the service would need to be fully self-sustaining.

Two interesting planning applications are highlighted in our September edition. A 10-acre animal farm on land next to Whistlewood Common has been given the go-ahead by South Derbyshire District Council’s Planning Committee.
The new farm includes parking for 42 cars and three buses plus three new barns, and the owners want to have up to 85 livestock, including rare breed sheep, alpacas, goats, pigs, donkeys and ponies.
Meanwhile Melbourne Print are hoping to convert a former water storage tank on the outskirts of Melbourne into commercial premises. The plan would see the conversion of the redundant tank into a creative hub with space for three to six members of staff. No decision has yet been made by the planning committee.

Successful A-level and GCSE pupils are proudly shown with their certificates, while the winning entries in this year’s Melbourne Produce Show also have their successes covered in words and pictures.

Father Anthony Axe looks back on his time in Melbourne. The priest will conduct his last service on September 15, having reached his 75th birthday – the retirement age for Catholic priests. Ordained in 1982, Father Anthony came to Melbourne in 2005, where he has been in charge of the Catholic church here and in Castle Donington.

At the other end of the age scale, 15-year-old Kate Robertson is looking forward to a glittering life on the waves.
Kate, of Aston-on-Trent and a member of Swarkestone Sailing Club, has just returned from Holland where she finished top girl and second overall from 200 competitors in the Topper World Championships.
And for the future: “As I get older, I would of course like to try for the Olympics, if the opportunity became available,” she says. Village Voice staff wouldn’t mind being there to cover that …