County council elects its new chairwoman

Coun Janice Hanson, who represents the Morecambe West division, was appointed at the latest full council meeting..

A county councillor since 2005, Janice has also been on Lancaster City Council since 1995, representing the Harbour ward.

She was born in Fauldhouse in West Lothian, Scotland and lived there until she was eleven. The family then moved to Dartmoor, as Janice’s father, a prison officer, had accepted a job at Dartmoor Prison.

After attending Tavistock School in Devon, the family then moved to Lancaster. .

Studies completed, Janice returned to Scotland to train as a nurse. After gaining her nursing qualifications, she then worked in a hospital for three years. She said: “I know from experience how important volunteering is. Volunteers work incredibly hard to help people and groups, for the benefit of people in Lancashire.

“I particularly want to raise awareness of the superb work that volunteers do for the various ‘friends’ groups we have in Lancashire.”