Decision delayed on Shropshire register offices' future
A decision over whether to axe rural offices to register births, marriages and death has been delayed after objections from a councillor.
Shropshire Council was due to rubber stamp changes to how the county's registrar services were run this week, but the decision has been put on hold.
In May the authority revealed three possible options – making no change, closing three of the most under-used offices in Church Stretton, Bishop's Castle and Wem, or in the most extreme case, closing all offices other than a central one in Shrewsbury.
The preferred option would see the three rural town offices go, saving Shropshire Council £50,000, with hours at Ludlow reduced, but increased at Bridgnorth, Market Drayton, Oswestry and Whitchurch to compensate.
After a consultation this summer a final decision was set to be made behind closed doors by cabinet member Karen Calder.
But Councillor Calder has agreed to put the decision on hold after objections from Ludlow North Councillor Andy Boddington, that detailed responses from the public, gathered during the consultation period, had not been included in the paperwork.
The Ludlow service, now based at Ludlow Library after the sale of the Stone House council offices, is set to be reduced from 20 hours a week to 12.
The delay may change the way the decision is made, however.
Councillor Boddington said: "I have never been happy with important decisions being made by individual cabinet members in meetings from which the press and public are excluded."
