Whitchurch Town Team set to come to a close

Whitchurch Town Team was formed in 2011 to carry out the work of the town plan and is made up of both Shropshire and town councillors and officers, representatives from local organisations and community groups, as well as Whitchurch residents.

Councillor Peggy Mullock, one of the founding members of the Parish Plan Implementation Committee (PIC), was happy with the work of the Town Team, but appreciated that it may have run its natural course.

“A lot of things have been done now and people have started to drift off,” said Cllr Mullock. “There’s money still in it but if everyone agrees we’ll hand it back to the town council.

“Several new people have joined the council recently and new people bring new ideas, so if we give it back, they may be able to use that money.”

The town plan was drawn up following on from the evaluation of the ‘Have Your Say’ survey handed out to Whitchurch residents in 2010.

Originally known as the Whitchurch Town and PIC, the committee was renamed the Town Team in 2014 to better reflect the work conducted across the town.

The Have Your Say survey allowed residents to point the new committee in the right direction regarding things they would like to see changed and improved in the town.

Objectives that the Town Team has worked to improve include the appearance of the town centre, the development of the town’s market, the organisation of a variety of events throughout the town and the improvement of the town website.

The Town Team has also taken on smaller objectives, such as working to identify the owners of empty properties and lobbying for improved transport links.

But the committee, which currently meets every other month, has seen member numbers dwindle in recent years.

An emergency general meeting is set for July 31 at the Civic Centre, where committee members will discuss the future of the Town Team, including the possibility of handing back control of the town plan to Whitchurch Town Council.