the event showing small logs being rolled, and not actual cheeses. Listed as Stichiltone or Sticiltone at the time of the 1086 Domesday Book the name Stilton means "village at a stile or steep ascent". Governance As a civil parish, Stilton has a parish council elected by the residents of the parish who have registered on the electoral roll. The parish council is the lowest tier of government in England. Huntingdonshire District Council is the local planning authority for the parish. The parish council raises its own tax to pay for some services, known as the parish precept. This is collected as part of the Council Tax. The parish council consists of twelve councillors and a parish clerk. The parish council normally meets on the second Tuesday of the month (except in August) in the parish meeting room. Stilton was in the historic and administrative county of Huntingdonshire until 1965. From 1965, the village was part of the new administrative county of Huntingdon and Peterborough. Then in 1974, following the Local Government Act 1972, Stilton became part of the county of Cambridgeshire. The second tier of local government is Huntingdonshire District Council which is a non-metropolitan district of Cambridgeshire and has its offices in Huntingdon. Huntingdonshire District Council has 52 councillors representing 29 district wards. Huntingdonshire District Council collects the council tax. Stilton is a district ward and is represented on the district council by one councillor. District councillors serve for four-year terms following elections to Huntingdonshire District Council. For Stilton the highest tier of local government is Cambridgeshire County Council which has administration buildings in Cambridge. The county council provides county-wide services such as major road infrastructure, fire and rescue, education, social services, libraries and heritage services. Cambridgeshire County Council consists of 69 councillors representing 60 electoral divisions. Stilton is part of the electoral division of Norman Cross, which is represented on the county council by two councillors. At Westminster Stilton is in the parliamentary constituency of North West Cambridgeshire, and elects one Member of Parliament (MP) by the first past the post system of election. Stilton has been represented in the House of Commons by Shailesh Vara (Conservative since 2005. The previous member of parliament was Brian Mawhinney (Conservative, 1997–2005). Geography Stilton lies south of the city of Peterborough, on the old Great North Road, from London. It lies just south of Norman Cross. In 1998, the village