Northam Urban Council has its youngest member – at least for many years.

He is Mr Joseph Thomas Need, aged 29, of 2 Darracotts Court, Appledore, who has been elected to fill the Appledore seat vacated by the former vicar, Rev Royston Dixon.
Mr Need had a 166-vote victory in Thursday week’s election over a fellow employee of Appledore Shipbuilders Ltd, Mr Philip Bale Waters.
Mr Need is the youngest member of Northam Burrows Committee and of the committee of Northam Residents’ Association. He is also a member of Appledore Preservation and Conservation Society. A joiner, he is social organiser of the Shipyard Angling Club.
Gazette article dated 9 February 1973