Chance for more residents to have say on local issues

Many more people across Shropshire will soon be able to have a real say about how their local area could be improved, when six new local joint committees meet for the first time this spring.

The pilot committees will meet four times a year and give people a chance to meet with their local councillors, get involved in decisions affecting their community and help decide how the committee spends its budget.

They have been set up following the success of five existing committees, which have been meeting across Shropshire for the past 12 months.

The new committees will cover the following areas – each based on Shropshire County Council electoral divisions.

· Wem and Wem Rural
· Oswestry
· Underdale and Monkmoor (Shrewsbury)
· Rea Valley
· Bridgnorth West, Bridgnorth East, Bridgnorth Rural and Morfe
· Corvedale

Each will be promoted using the ‘Action’ brand, with the first meetings due to be held on the following dates:

· Action: Wem and Wem Rural – Thursday 22 May at Edinburgh House, Wem.
· Action: Oswestry Town – Wednesday 7 May at The Marches School & Technology College.
· Action: Underdale and Monkmoor – Wednesday 14 May at The Wilfred Owen School.
· Action: Rea Valley - Thursday 15 May at Minsterley Village Hall.

All meetings will start at 7.00pm.

Action: Bridgnorth and Action: Corvedale are both due to meet for the first time in June, with dates due to be confirmed soon.

The five existing committees cover Broseley and Barrow; Ludlow and Ludlow Rural; Market Drayton, Hodnet and Shawbury; St Oswald and Ruyton-XI-Towns, and Whitchurch and Prees.

Mike Owen, Shropshire County Council’s cabinet member for community well-being, said: “These meetings will give people a real chance to influence what is going on in their communities.

“They offer an opportunity for local people to give their views and get involved in shaping what happens where they live, and I hope as many people as possible will go along to their local meeting and have their say.”

25 April 2008