Connecting with our Community: Highlights from the Recent Residents’ Surgery

On Saturday, 24th January, 10am – 12, Councillor Roger Cox and I, Councillor Ed Bird, held our latest Shifnal Town Council residents’ surgery to listen to the concerns, ideas, and feedback of the local community. These sessions are vital for ensuring that the Town Council remains focused on the issues that matter most to you, and our most recent meeting covered a wide range of topics—from essential transport links to long-standing community funds.

One of the primary discussions centered on the Shifnal Shuttle and support for local seniors. We heard from a representative of a local older people’s group regarding the challenges of funding and the rising costs of private transport. The group is currently recruiting volunteer drivers and utilizes the Shifnal Shuttle for dozens of journeys per month to ensure residents can stay mobile. We discussed the possibility of the Town Council assisting with these costs to ensure this vital lifeline remains sustainable.

Parking and road safety continue to be significant concerns for many. Residents from The Grove highlighted how recent extensions to double yellow lines have inadvertently “shunted” parking issues further down the road, making it difficult for homeowners to access their own drives. Of particular concern is the prevalence of pavement parking outside local businesses, such as the dentists, dry cleaners, and the off-license. This creates a dangerous environment for wheelchair users and those on mobility scooters, who are often forced to move off the curb into the road.

We also received updates on a local swimming pool fund that has remained untouched for some time. There is approximately £30,000 remaining in the account, and discussions are underway regarding how to wind up the trust and ensure the money is used for a similar purpose, such as ring-fencing it for swimming lessons at local primary schools.

Finally, several “quality of life” issues were raised, including the unreliability of local postal deliveries, the frequency of bus services through the Admiral’s estate, and the need for better infrastructure at Coppice Green Meadow, such as additional dog bins and promised walkways. We also noted specific maintenance requests, including a significant pothole on Aston Street and the need for a pedestrian crossing near the Doctor’s surgery.

We would like to thank everyone who took the time to come and speak with us. Your input is essential in helping us advocate for a better Shifnal.

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Action Points and Next Steps

Following the surgery, several key actions have been identified to address the concerns raised:

• Community Transport: Review the request for the Town Council to reimburse travel invoices for the local older people’s group to support the continued use of the Shifnal Shuttle.
• Parking Enforcement: Liaise with the relevant authorities to request increased parking enforcement, specifically regarding pavement parking and the obstruction of dropped curbs.
• Rail Services: Contact the local Member of Parliament and West Midlands Trains to address ongoing failures in passenger assistance and missed taxi transfers.
• Swimming Pool Fund: Investigate the legal rules for transferring the remaining £30,000 to the Town Council or local schools for swimming-related activities.
• Bus Services: Conduct a review of current bus frequencies (including the 891 and 113/114 services) to determine if coverage meets the needs of residents in all parts of the town.
• Maintenance & Infrastructure: Report the pothole on Aston Street via ‘Fix My Street’ and follow up with Shropshire Council regarding the missing road markings in the Larch Grove and Alder Road areas.
• Public Realm: Investigate the ownership of the Coppice to determine the feasibility of installing a new walkway and additional dog bins at Coppice Green.