SHROPSHIRE councillors from Whitchurch say they will bid to have the report recommending the demolition of the Civic Centre pulled from Cabinet.

At a public meeting on Saturday, with more than 400 people in attendance, Councillors Peggy Mullock, Paul Wynn, Gerald Dakin and Tom Biggins said they intend to request that the report be re-submitted at a later date.

The pledge came after a stormy open meeting, organised by Whitchurch Town Council and held in the Market/Sports Hall to the rear of the centre which, ironically, could be demolished alongside the Civic Centre.

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This is if the recommended option six – to rebuild as a multi-use centre with housing – is taken up by councillors at Shropshire because of the RAAC crisis.

Cllr Mullock told the meeting that a request has been made to pull the report but added ‘it’s not our decision so there’s no guarantee’.

Cllr Biggins told the meeting that ‘he wants the best services for the town’ adding that councillors ‘will hold peoples’ feet to the fire’ and get the best for the town.

He added: “I don’t want Cabinet to rush into a decision and to take their time – you have that commitment.”.

Cllr Wynn, who represents nearby Prees, said that councillors’ attendance at the meeting meant they could ‘take their voices to Cabinet’.

In a fiery meeting, Shropshire Council’s director of place Mark Barrow – who lives a stone’s throw away from the building – took much of the gathered audience’s ire.

He insisted that Cabinet members will go through and discuss all available options but reiterated that any option chosen would ‘have to be the best for the taxpayer’.

But he rebuffed audience claims that it was ‘a done deal’.

North Shropshire MP Helen Morgan was also at the meeting and told residents she is meeting with the Levelling Up minister to discuss funding options for Shropshire Council.

But she did add that she ‘is not confident’.

Meanwhile, Mrs Morgan has announced she has launched a petition to the Department for Levelling Up, asking ministers to intervene and guarantee the future of a Civic Centre in Whitchurch.

She said: “I have set up a petition for residents to sign and help demonstrate how strong the feeling is in town.

“With a good 400 people at the public meeting, I know that people here care and are prepared to fight for the facilities they deserve – and I want to do all I can to support our market towns.”

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She was backed by Whitchurch mayor Cllr Andy Hall, who chaired the open meeting.

He said: “There is a really strong case for ministers to intervene and I'm fully supporting Helen's efforts to put that across to them and show how strongly people here feel about losing the Civic.”

The petition can be signed at www.helenmorgan.org.uk/whitchurch-civic