PLANS are in the pipeline to name a refurbished Willaston play area in memory of a former 'committed, caring and inspiring' parish councillor.

Willaston Parish Council is proposing recognising the contribution made by Maurice Jones, who passed away last year, to the local community by officially christening the Victoria Mill Drive maze area Maurice's Maze.

Parish council chairman Craig Bailey explained: "In the past year the parish council has undertaken work on the maze area, including removing the previous maze structure and totem pole which was rotting, deemed unsafe and had seen better days.

"The area has been refreshed with resurfacing, new planting, floor graphic games and a new totem pole.

"It has been great to have positive feedback and to hear that the floor games are being used by our younger, and older, residents.

"The final part of our plans for the maze is to consider an official naming of this area.

"The council's proposal is for the area to be named Maurice's Maze in recognition of Maurice Jones, past chairman of the council and a Willaston councillor for 43 years as well as a former Mayor of Crewe and Nantwich Borough Council.

"It would be a fitting and fun way to permanently recognise Maurice and the contribution that he gave to Willaston before sadly passing away in October 2019.

"Naming the maze in Maurice's honour would be appropriate to his informal nature and his championing of younger people.

"Maurice was the essence of public and voluntary service, committed, caring and inspiring."

The naming proposal is fully-supported by Mr Jones' family.

Mr Jones was chairman of Willaston Parish council 13 times from 1980, his last running from 2011 until May 2019, when he retired from civic life after 43 years of dedicated service.

Although in his later years Mr Jones' health deteriorated, this did not prevent him from participating in all village events and projects.

Mr Jones was also a member of Crewe and Nantwich Borough Council for a number of years and was the last full-term Mayor in 2007/2008 after being Deputy Mayor on several previous occasions.

Before formally naming the maze area the parish council is consulting with residents and inviting them to complete a short consultation survey here which closes on Friday, August 7.