An attempt to stop the controversial £2 million sale of Shrewsbury’s Barker Street car park has failed, despite a passionate plea by a group of councillors.
Members of the opposition Labour group on Shrewsbury & Atcham Borough Council wanted the authority to pull out of the deal with Morris Property and re-market the site.
They claimed the council could get more money for the land and criticised the decision to sell the car park next to the Grade II-listed Rowley’s House because it was made behind closed doors.
Group leader Danny Moore said future decisions on matters exceeding a value of £100,000 should be made by full council, rather than the ruling cabinet.
At last night’s full council meeting he said: “I cannot say that by re-marketing we could achieve a higher offer, but there was an inference in the report that it was something we could have done to secure additional income to this authority.”
Councillor Mansel Williams said members of the public were unable to take part in the debate over the sale.
“This just isn’t good enough for such an important area of land,” he said. “We as councillors have a duty to the taxpayers of Shrewsbury and Atcham to re-market and that we get the highest return on this site.
“Over and above it is how the decision was made. It was done behind closed doors. The public are very interested in this area of land and we ought to revisit this.”
But Tory council leader Peter Nutting said the decision was a good deal.
He said the offer from Morris Property was the highest that did not insist on the inclusion of Rowley’s House as part of the sale.
He said the conditional sale would also mean the buyer, and not the council, would be responsible for any additional spending if major archaeological discoveries were made at the site.
The Labour group’s motion to advise the prospective purchaser the land has been withdrawn from sale failed.
By Andy Robbins
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