Parking charges row in meeting spotlight

Motorists and residents will get to have their say on controversial parking charges at a meeting in north Shropshire next week.

Parking charges will be on the agenda when senior figures from Shropshire Council address Wem and Shawbury Local Joint Committee on Monday.

The issue has sparked outrage in Ellesmere, Whitchurch, Market Drayton and Wem since the charges were introduced in off-street locations last year.

Now people are being encouraged to go to the meeting and have their say.

Shawbury councillor Simon Jones, the portfolio holder for parking charges, is due to give a presentation on the charges.

The meeting at Edinburgh House, New Street, Wem, from 7pm, will give residents a chance to discuss issues affecting them.

LJC chairman Pauline Dee said parking charges was a hot topic in north Shropshire's market towns including Wem, where the subject has been raised many times before at Wem LJC meetings.

She said: "I'd like to encourage as many people as possible to come along to the meeting and discuss local issues.

"I am pleased that the portfolio holder will be available to answer questions regarding parking charges as this issue has been raised at a previous meeting."

When the charges were introduced, Shirehall agreed to allow short periods of free parking on selected car parks as an olive branch for traders, motorists and residents worried at the impact they might have.

The Wem LJC has an annual budget of £30,692 to support community initiatives. To date, 12 projects totalling £19,934 have been supported. Six more will be considered at the meeting.

The committee members are made up of representatives from Shropshire Council and the local town and parish councils from Clive, Grinshill, Hadnall, Loppington, Moreton Corbet & Lee Brockhurst, Myddle & Broughton, Shawbury, Stanton upon Hine Heath, Wem, Wem Rural, Weston under Redcastle and Whixall.