Plea to Shropshire Council to alter reduced register office hours in Wem
Wem Town Council wants to change plans for register services in its area after they were cut to just one day.
The council has written to Shropshire Council over plans to close the current register office – except for one morning per week.
The office, which was initially under threat of closure, will be replaced with an appointment-only service which will operate once a week.
The news was welcomed by councillors who said it was a "much-needed service", but at a recent town council meeting they agreed to see if the time could be split over two mornings, rather than one.
Wem Town Council clerk Penny O'Hagan said: "Members asked to go back to the council to see whether the hours could be split between two days.
"If anybody in Wem passes away on a Thursday evening, they wouldn't be able to register them in Wem because there is a deadline of a five-day limit.
"So it would be better to have another day where they could go to register that."
The appointment slot would be from 10am to noon each Thursday morning.
The current opening hours at the offices in Oswestry, Market Drayton, Whitchurch, Shrewsbury and Bridgnorth are set to remain the same.
Church Stretton and Bishop's Castle will also be replaced with an appointment-only service to operate once a week.
Meanwhile, the town council has also looked at plans for this year.
Along with a range of other groups and organisations, the town council is also working on preparations to celebrate the Queen's 90th birthday.
Ms O'Hagan said the plans were "going full steam ahead" and include entertainment, a picnic as well as a party on the town's recreational ground.
Other matters up for discussion at the meeting included twinning links with Fismes in France.
The towns are officially linked but councillors are now keen to make stronger links with the twinned council and has written a letter to see if Fismes would be interested.
Councillors have also reported that they are looking at improving communication with residents in the town.
Ms O'Hagan said: "We have got a website but are now looking at other forms and what we can do better.
"We just want to make sure that all sectors of the community know about the council and what services it offers."
