Market Drayton could get more councillors if boundaries extended

Market Drayton Town Council is asking Shropshire Council to undertake a review of its boundary, saying if things do not change most new housing will technically be over the border in neighbouring parishes.

The number of councillors – currently set at 12 – could also be increased as part of the review.

There are no firm proposals yet over where the boundary lines should be re-drawn, with discussions to be held between the town council and adjoining parish councils before any decisions are made.

It will then be down to Shropshire Council to undertake a full public consultation and implement any changes.

At a town council meeting on Thursday evening, clerk Julie Jones told members the unitary council was seeking expressions of interest from all towns and parish councils interested in having their boundaries reviewed.

She said: “The sooner we put an expression of interest in, the sooner [Shropshire Council] knows we are keen to do that.

“We need to consult with the parish councils if we are considering pushing our boundaries out.”

Under Shropshire Council’s new draft local plan, all new housing sites, future employment sites and land earmarked for the relocation of the town’s sports facilities are situated north of the bypass and therefore outside the town council’s boundary.

Councillor Roger Hughes said the parish councils “won’t be happy” about the town boundary expanding.

He said: “We must tread very carefully in doing this, last time we did it it caused an awful lot of problems.

“I think we should have a meeting to explain to councillors the background to all this, and exactly what is happening, what it would entail and what impact it would have.”

Ms Jones said the matter would be discussed in greater detail at a future meeting for councillors to decide what changes they would like to see.

She said: “This is just to say we are interested in going forward for a boundary review.”

Councillor Baz Chapman said: “I propose that we express an interest on the basis that this town is now constrained by natural boundaries on all sides.

“Apart from small developments of infill within the town we are now seriously constrained.”

Councillor Chapman added that he would like the review to consider the number of councillors in each ward, saying the current representation was “unbalanced”.

Members resolved to submit an expression of interest and begin discussions with the four Shropshire parish councils with which the town council shares borders.

Norton in Hales, Adderley and Moreton Say are in the process of preparing a joint ‘Three Parishes Neighbourhood Plan’, and mayor Roy Aldcroft said the prospect of a boundary review would not come as a surprise to them.

He said: “The three parishes concerned are working together at the moment and this has been on the cards for at least two years for them, so it’s not going to come like a bolt out of the blue.”