Councillors in Wem will receive an update from a meeting with North Shropshire MP Owen Paterson at their monthly session tonight.

Mr Paterson met with Wem mayor Councillor Edward Towers, Cllr Tim Wilton-Morgan from Wem Rural Parish as well Cllr Steve Davenport, Steve Brown and Matt Johnson, all from Shropshire Council on January 12, with both Wem council clerks also in attendance.

He heard from Cllr Towers that 52 per cent of Wem town residents surveyed were in favour of additional housing to pay for a relief road; however, the majority of replies stated there should be fewer than 250 houses built over the next 20 years.

However, the majority of respondents were overwhelmingly in favour of a relief road.

Carole Warner, from Wem Rural, said that while there was support for the road, there were fears for how its location may impact on rural residents.

Other issues raised at the meeting included Wem town clerk Penny O'Hagan asking for specialist help from Shropshire Council regarding funding applications.

Other items on the agenda for the meeting, which starts at 7pm at Edinburgh House, includes a re-consultation on plans for the building of a two-block residential care home comprising of 50 units with communal facilities in Mill Street.

There is also a variation of a condition for a previous successful application for Thomas Adams School, in Lowe Hill Road, to allow for the retention of the demountable accommodation for a further temporary period of 10 years.

Councillors will also receive an update from a Wem Economic Forum held on January 11.

There are three items in private, where members of the public and press are excluded, with councillors considering a draft deed of the lease and a draft licence for alterations for Wem Swimming and Lifestyle Centre, plus an update of an insurance claim.