£20,000 emergency fund for virus-hit community groups in Shrewsbury

Shrewsbury Town Council voted to put the money aside and will allow organisations to bid for up to £500 each to help those in isolation or at risk from the virus.

It is one of a number of measures being put in place by the town council in response to the coronavirus, which will also include cancelling or scaling back events and meetings.

Helen Ball, the town's clerk, said it would be "unwise" to hold the annual town meeting, and said the mayor making this year would "not be what we are used to."

Mrs Ball was speaking during a full meeting of the town council on Monday, a meeting which Shrewsbury mayor Councillor Phil Gillam said had been "touch and go" as to whether it was going ahead.

Mrs Ball said: "At the beginning of last week when Italy went into lockdown, we started to have a conversation about all aspects of council work."

Plans for if councillor have to go into isolation include conference calling for meetings, accountants being able to access accounts remotely and the scaling back of the mayor's awards.

Competition

VE Day celebrations will be postponed, with a commemoration instead taking place around VJ Day in August.

Shrewsbury in Bloom open days will be cancelled, although the town will still be working towards its Britain in Bloom entry. Flowers bought for the competition will still be put out despite coronavirus.

Councillor Peter Nutting, who represents Copthorne on Shrewsbury Town Council, put forward the suggestion for the £20,000 emergency fund.

"We can afford it," he said. "People need help and we should make it available."

He also suggested a cap of £500 per group and said decisions for where the money should go should be be delegated to the town clerk.

Councillors praised the strong community response on social media for both coronavirus and the floods.

Councillor Alan Moseley said dozens of people had been offering to help those isolated by coronavirus on Facebook.

During the same meeting, the council voted to hold off giving an official response to the North West Relief Road until it had more information from officers.