Land Registry sell-off: Telford councillors to call on Government to 'abort' plans and keep jobs

Telford & Wrekin Council leader Shaun Davies says the potential privatisation of the service would have a "detrimental" impact on the 300 staff members who work in Telford and the borough's economy in general.

Councillor Davies has put forward a notice of motion to be heard at the full council meeting on Thursday.

In it, the council will call for the Government to cancel the plans for privatisation and make assurances that jobs will be kept in Telford.

Mr Davies said: "The Land Registry employs around 300 people in Telford & Wrekin, these are well paid and highly skilled jobs.

"This council believes that the Government plans to sell off the registry will lead to a worse service for residents, which will cost more and diminish trust in the registration of land in this country.

"There is a real risk that these 300 jobs, which will be lost to the borough of Telford & Wrekin, will have a detrimental impact on the workforce and their families and the negative economic impact to the borough will be significant."

The Department for Business, Innovation and Skills is consulting on its plans to privatise the Land Registry, which employs about 300 people based in Hall Park Way.

Under the plans, a private operator would take over the registering of the ownership of land and property in England and Wales.

Councillor Davies previously pledged his support for the campaign against the privatisation, saying he will do all he can to resist the move.

The PCS union say the privatisation, currently being consulted on by the Government, would put the jobs of 300 people working at Land Registry offices in Telford under threat.

Telford MP Lucy Allan has said she could "not support" a sale of the Land Registry during a debate in the House of Commons.

Ms Allan said the Land Registry was an "important part" of Telford's fabric and history and added she would fight to protect the jobs of workers in the borough.

MPs debating the topic said it does not make sense to privatise the service, which has made a profit for 19 of the past 20 years and has a 96 per cent satisfaction rating with its users.

Both Ms Allan and Councillor Shaun Davies have raised the issue with business secretary Sajid Javid MP."