People ‘stuck at home for three months’ amid Shropshire blue badge application delays
People with disabilities are being left “stuck at home” for up to three months due to Shropshire Council delays in dealing with blue badge applications, it has been claimed.
The authority has come under fresh criticism over the time it takes to process applications, which it says is partly because it has started asking for more evidence.
However the authority says it is training new staff to address the backlog.
The issue was in the spotlight earlier this year when the council confirmed some people were left waiting for up to 12 weeks for their badges to arrive – with renewals taking significantly longer than new applications.
But when challenged at a cabinet meeting this week over what the current wait times were, senior councillors were not able to produce the figures.
The matter was raised through a question to cabinet by Councillor Kate Halliday, who represents Belle Vue in Shrewsbury.
Her question, read by Labour group leader Councillor Julia Buckley, said: “The council average waiting times for the blue badge scheme have increased in recent months causing difficulties for those who wish to apply for or renew their blue badge.
