Campaigners' bid to create own parishes

A massive consultation exercise is due to be carried out after hundreds of residents in two Telford communities signed petitions calling for independence.

Campaigners living in Dawley and Lilleshall want to split from neighbouring areas to create their own parishes. They say they have little in common with their existing parish councils and feel local democracy will better be served by going it alone.

Telford & Wrekin Council is now poised to seek the views of the public before making any recommendations to the Electoral Commission. The first petition is signed by 567 electors of Great Dawley Parish, while the second is signed by 333 electors from Lilleshall and Donnington Parish.

Their pleas will be considered at a meeting of Telford & Wrekin Council's licensing committee on April 21. Councillors are being recommended to press ahead with a community governance review and to sort out the terms of reference for what will be a lengthy and complex operation.

An officers' report to the licensing committee says key issues will include whether there is a sufficient "community of identity" to justify the formation of breakaway parishes. Changes would be unlikely to take effect before the next round of parish elections in 2011.