Councillors vote to oppose suggestion of a Shropshire Mayor

Shropshire Council has voted to oppose the suggestion from government that it join forces with Telford & Wrekin Council in a combined authority area under a directly-elected mayor.

A motion brought by the council’s Conservative leader Lezley Picton, which also criticised the lack of funding for the county in the recent ‘levelling up’ announcements, received overwhelming support from councillors.

The vote took place a week ahead of a Telford & Wrekin Council meeting at which leader Shaun Davies will table a similar motion making clear his Labour administration’s opposition to the proposals.

The suggestion of a mayor was made by Levelling Up Secretary Michael Gove after his department once again overlooked Shropshire in the ‘county deals’ funding announcement earlier this month.

Mr Gove said a combined authority bringing together Shropshire and Telford & Wrekin, similar to the West Midlands region headed by mayor Andy Street, might be required in order to access funding for future projects.

Putting forward her motion at a meeting of the full council, Councillor Picton said: “As soon as the information was released from the government about the latest county deals and levelling up bids, and the moment elected mayors or governors were mentioned, my inbox exploded.

“Pretty much every single response I had was, ‘What is that going to offer the people of Shropshire?’

“We work very well with Telford & Wrekin, we actually share some services with Telford & Wrekin, and we also work well with our other partners.

“This council is not in favour of merging with another authority and this council doesn’t think that the addition of a directly-elected mayor or governor will add any benefit to the residents of Shropshire.”

Seconding the motion, Councillor Cecilia Motley, portfolio holder for communities, said: “I think the government is slightly off the mark in suggesting that this would be a good arrangement for two unitary authorities.

“I don’t think this is in any way a development which is going to be suitable either for a large rural county like Shropshire or a rather smaller, rather more concentrated authority like Telford & Wrekin.

“As the leader has pointed out we already work collaboration with Telford & Wrekin as well as with our other neighbours Hereford and Worcester, and we don’t want to be tied down to having to work just with them.

“This would be a thoroughly restrictive model to have to work to, and neither Telford & Wrekin nor Shropshire Council in any way sees the benefit of an extra layer of bureaucracy as would be produced by having to have a mayor or governor.”

The motion was overwhelmingly supported, while members of the Labour group abstained.

Councillor Davies will present his motion to at a Telford & Wrekin full council meeting next Thursday.

It reads: “Telford & Wrekin Council reaffirms its strong objection to any merger with Shropshire Council and opposes the government’s proposal of an elected mayor for Shropshire.

“There are no circumstances where a merger or an elected mayor of Shropshire is in the best interests of our residents of Telford & Wrekin.

“On behalf of our residents we will not consent to such a move.

“A Telford & Wrekin Council, under a Labour administration, is on the side of our residents and there are no circumstances where such a merger or an elected mayor of Shropshire is acceptable for our residents.

“Telford and Wrekin Council will continue to put Telford and Wrekin first.”