Shropshire boundary review set to bring 'significant' change

It is thought the changes will be introduced by the 2025 council elections

Changes will be made to Shropshire Council's ward boundary map before the next local elections, officials say.

The changes are set for 2025 on completion of a review, says the Local Government Boundary Commission for England (LGBCE).

While each councillor currently represents an average of about 3,350 registered voters, there are some areas where figures vary hugely.

The council's leader said she believed the changes would be "significant".

"One of the difficulties we have got is that some of the divisions are now way over the 'optimum' number of voters," Lesley Picton said.

"Shifnal is over by about 40%."

As a result of major development around the town since the 2009 ward map was drawn up, there were now 4,641 voters in Shifnal South & Cosford and 4,650 in Shifnal North, according to the Local Democracy Reporting Service.

However, other wards have fewer than the average number of voters, including Chirbury and Worthen, with just 2,369 registered people as of last year's local elections.

The council was already looking at town and parish boundary changes, but has since been told to halt the process until the LGBCE has completed the divisional review which will start in October.