Coronavirus: Emergency committee formed to deal with Bridgnorth council matters
An emergency committee has been formed to assist a town clerk with council-related decisions after he was delegated all responsibility throughout the coronavirus pandemic.
All Bridgnorth Town Council meetings have been cancelled and the decision to delegate all decision-making power to town clerk Lee Jakeman was made at the council's last meeting.
A total of six councillors have formed an emergency committee and will be able to assist with any issues or decisions facing the council in coming weeks.
Mayor of Bridgnorth, Ron Whittle, said: "We have a virtual committee for the time being, but other than that all meetings have been cancelled.
"We do have a group of six councillors who are forming an emergency committee. The town clerk has been delegated the authority to make all decisions but he'll consult with those six councillors and be keeping me in the loop so there's a degree of oversight."
The six councillors put forward to form the committee are Morfe ward representative Karen Sawbridge, incoming mayor and East ward representative Kirstie Hurst-Knight, Castle ward councillors David Cooper, Cecilia Walden and Sarah Barlow, and East ward representative Julia Buckley.
Councillor Whittle added that residents can contact their usual ward councillor to raise any concerns with the authority.
Councillor Whittle said: "The emergency committee will be having virtual meetings online but they don't have the power to make any decisions. The town clerk will do that after consulting with them.
"Anyone with concerns or queries can contact their local ward councillor as they normally would, who can pass these onto the town clerk and the six councillors."
