As we move into summer, the last few weeks have been a busy mix of local casework in Whittington and West Felton alongside my wider responsibilities as Shropshire Council’s Cabinet Member for Planning.
Throughout June, I’ve also been sharing regular updates on my Instagram, giving a more immediate, on-the-ground view of some of this work. I’ve included selected posts below to illustrate what that has looked like in practice.
Working on Local Priorities: Drainage, Highways and Environment
Much of my local work has focused on the issues residents raise most frequently: highways, drainage, planning and environmental maintenance.
Following periods of heavy rainfall, I have continued to raise a number of drainage and surface water issues with officers, seeking investigations and long-term solutions rather than temporary fixes. These issues have a direct impact on residents, property and the condition of our road network, so I have kept pressure on the council to ensure they remain a priority.
Highway maintenance has remained high on the agenda. Throughout May and June, I have followed up on reports of potholes, deteriorating road surfaces and verge problems across the division.
While residents are understandably frustrated, there are signs that the council is beginning to shift its focus back towards preventative maintenance. This year’s programme includes a significant number of resurfacing and surface dressing schemes aimed at preventing roads from deteriorating in the first place.
Prevention is better than cure
The preventative budget was severely cut by the Conservatives in 2024/25, down to 72% of the highway’s budget from 92%. This has resulted in a large splurge of defects this season, which was a particularly bad winter for potholes. To address this the Lib Dems administration has:
- Doubled the money going into prevention, reversing the trend of recent years
- Added 4 more crews
- Added contractual controls
- Brought in Multivo as part of a shift to a mixed contractor model, which will include more local contractors
- Using more New equipment
- Repaired 30,000 potholes in year one
- Improved the quality of repairs with fewer temporary repairs
Why prevention is better than cure:
The national average cost for repairs:
Reactive Pothole repairs cost £100/m2
Resurfacing costs £35/m2
Surface Dressing costs £7/m2
The Lib Dems have increased the preventive program, which is now well underway, with 90 stretches of road resurfaced in full. A further 72 roads were being surface dressed, an important way of preventing potholes from forming in the first place.
Notably, as part of that work, the A495 Ellesmere Road surface dressing has concluded. However, there are some minor things still to complete. Some white lines and catseyes were missing. These were left due to weather delays and the start of the major resurfacing work in Ellesmere. A closure on the 6th and 7th of July will be used to sort out those minors. More works are planned soon for Rednal Straight from the Queen’s Head to the parish boundary. This is a major resurfacing job. This road has been crying out for it for some time and is very welcome news. I will post about those closures separately.
Whittington updates
An Extensive number of potholes have now been fixed at Hinford.
I continue to chase officers about the Burmah Road footpath. The rather unsatisfactory situation in which funds due to pay for the path weren’t claimed needs to be resolved urgently. This has been rumbling on for far too long. Much to the frustration of myself and local residents.
Adding a bus stop for Rosehill Drive residents has to be a priority, and I have been discussing that with officers. I have asked that the bus stop and the Burma Road footpath be added to the Place Plan in order to secure funding.
Similarly, I have had a lot of correspondence about pedestrian safety at the Whittington Road island. I agree this isn’t satisfactory and have chased this up with National Highways, who have confirmed there is no funding for this until after 2031. I have asked Whittington Parish Council to support a crossing over the A5 in the Place Plan to secure funding for it, in addition to the Bruma Road Footpath and the bus stop by Rosehill Drive. Securing a safe crossing over a busy road is critically important for users with disabilities and for schoolchildren. Some improvements will happen with the adjacent commercial development, but that won’t really address what is needed for good access for non-car drivers between Oswestry and Park Hall.
Station Road traffic has been raised again and remains a priority. The new speed limit will help, as will the new double yellow lines. What they won’t do is address the rise in HGVs and the sharp increase in van traffic post-COVID. The change in shopping habits is having a profound impact on local amenities and road wear. Increased axle weights mean more repairs and more frequent repairs. This can be seen at the Boot Street junction. I continue to press for this to be sorted urgently. It represents a hazard, partcularly on two wheeled road users. It has caused an accident already for a motorcyclist
Progress in West Felton
In West Felton, I have continued to progress the long-awaited new street light on The Avenue.
Following discussions with officers, I am now working directly with Highline Electrical to move the project forward and finally bring this longstanding issue closer to completion.
An Extensive number of potholes have now also been fixed on Woolston Lane.
I have had more exchanges with officers at Shropshire Council and National Highways over the Fox Lane footbridge over the A5. I have previously raised concerns about the poor condition of the surface, particularly last winter, when it was treacherous in the icy weather. There seems to be progress, but it has been a real battle to get one of them to accept responsibility for the poor condition of the footpath tarmac. At one stage, National Highways accepted responsability but that has now been withdrawn. Instead, National Highways has reported to me that Shropshire Council has accepted responsibility. Shropshire Council have now confirmed the same. This is now with Shropshire Council’s Outdoor Partnerships Team. I am now waiting on an update from them, but it seems that the public right of way over the bridge was missing from the definitive map – quite an omission. I will wait for more news before I get my hopes up, but I am optimistic of a resolution soon.
It was good to see the Holyhead Road footpath reclaimed from the verge/hedges at the Weirbrook end and at Queens Head. These have been long-running concerns for residents, and it was satisfying to see that casework addressed. It has been raised for years, so I am delighted it has been sorted.
Standing Up for Our Communities in Planning
Planning has, as ever, occupied a significant amount of my time.
Locally, I have continued to engage with officers regarding live applications affecting our communities and to press the case for protecting the character of our villages from inappropriate development. I have also been closely following the Nursery application. After talking with officers, the Nursery application has been reworked for the third time. A fresh public consultation has begun on the new application. I will post about that separately.
Strengthening Planning Policy
Alongside the development of the new Local Plan, I have also continued work on strengthening existing planning policy.
During June, the Cabinet considered new Supplementary Planning Documents (SPDs) covering the design of new homes and residential extensions. These provide additional guidance to help ensure future development is better designed and more sensitive to local character. Swift boxes and other notable additions were made following the consultation. The Cabinet approved the amended SPDs
Combined with wider policy work currently underway, this forms part of a broader effort to rebuild a strong and effective planning framework for Shropshire. Most importantly, the SPDs provide some policy cover while we wait for the local plan to be made.
Shaping the Future: The New Shropshire Local Plan
At a county level, one of the most important developments has been the launch of the new Shropshire Local Plan scoping consultation.
This marks the first formal step in creating a replacement Local Plan for the county. The consultation deliberately asks questions rather than presents predetermined answers, providing an opportunity for residents, parish councils, and community groups to help shape the vision and priorities for Shropshire over the next 20 years.
Alongside the consultation, the results of the Call for Sites have also been published, showing land put forward by developers and landowners for possible development. Importantly, these are promoted sites rather than council proposals, and each site will be assessed through the plan-making process. Click to view the call for sites map.
Staying Connected with Residents
Throughout all of this, I have maintained regular contact with officers across highways, planning, and environmental services, ensuring local concerns are raised and progress is monitored.
I have also continued my monthly councillor surgeries, which remain an invaluable opportunity to hear directly from residents about the issues that matter most to them.
