Jobs creation scheme for five Shropshire towns

Five towns in Shropshire will be made priority areas for creating jobs over the next five years.

Shrewsbury, Oswestry, Whitchurch, Ludlow and Craven Arms will be at the forefront of plans for investment in employment land, members of Shropshire Council's enterprise and growth scrutiny committee were told at their meeting yesterday.

But there was concern that Wem was in danger of being left behind.

Councillor Pauline Dee told members that she was 'really concerned' that Wem had not been included.

She said an enterprise centre was needed to create jobs in the town for some of the 1,400 pupils at Thomas Adams School.

"We want to keep our young people in town and we need to provide employment for them," she said.

Councillor Dee said land was available and plans had been put forward under the Advantage West Midlands group, which helped to develop business in the region.

But when the coalition axed Advantage West Midlands, Wem fell by the wayside.

Mark Pembleton, business and enterprise manager, said the door was not closed to Wem. The committee heard that there will be a continuing need for public money to help stimulate Shropshire's economic development because the market had failed to do the job.

The council is planning new investment in serviced employment land, exploring ways of developing former Advantage West Midlands Assets, and seeking Government funding for regeneration and economic growth.

The authority already has more than 190 workshops on 16 estates across the county.

Some 88 per cent of the units are let to businesses, bringing in £1.5 million to the county coffers.