Parish shake-up could create new councils

The changes are intended to reflect changing populations in the area

One parish council could be abolished and two new ones created as part of an electoral boundary shake-up.

Telford and Wrekin Council's boundary review committee is looking to make changes to keep up with the evolving population in the area.

Under the proposals Dawley Hamlets Parish Council would be broken up and its communities divided up and absorbed into surrounding councils.

Priorslee and Muxton, which have both grown in recent years due to more houses being built, would get their own parish councils.

The committee said both had now become distinct areas and could be separated from St Georges and Donnington.

St Georges and Donnington could then merge their councils to "share a common identity of being older, established communities in the borough with similar needs, demographics and identity".

Telford and Wrekin Council is about to move on to a final round of consultation on the plans before the committee is called on to make final decisions.

The aim is to have the new boundaries agreed before local elections in 2027.

Other proposals include merging Church Aston Parish Council with Chetwynd Ason and Woodcote, with part of the latter being added to Newport Town Council's area.

The committee noted that in recent years the two smaller councils had struggled to fill vacancies and that co-opting councillors "does not lend itself to efficient democracy".

A number of other mergers have been proposed to combine:

• Oakengates with Wrockwardine Wood and Trench

• Hollinswood and Randlay Parish Council with Stirchley and Brookside Parish Council

• Kynnersley Parish Council with Eyton and Preston

• Wrockwardine with Little Wenlock

Other areas would be incorporated into different parish councils under the proposals.

This news was gathered by the Local Democracy Reporting Service which covers councils and other public service organisations.