A successful community group that has helped to bring tens of thousands of pounds’ worth of trade to Ludlow could be ditched by the town council.Ludlow Town Council will decide on Monday whether to sever its links with Cittaslow, the so-called Slow City movement, which promotes local, individual shops and opposes big businesses.
Ludlow is the UK headquarters of Cittaslow and the organisation’s UK president is Councillor Graeme Kidd, a former Ludlow mayor.
However, the town council’s links with Cittaslow have led to a series of rows since May.
During one row the town council decided to remove the Cittaslow UK flag from a pole above its headquarters in Ludlow’s Buttercross.
In the autumn, the town council agreed to stop rowing about the organisation because locals were fed up with bad publicity involving councillors.
But now Ludlow Mayor Councillor Mrs Marie Glaze plans to ask councillors whether they should sever links with the group completely.
Today Councillor Martin Taylor-Smith, South Shropshire District Council’s finance boss, warned that it was a bad idea for the town if council support stopped.
Richard Walden, Ludlow’s acting town clerk, said Cittaslow had asked the council to consider appointing a councillor as a formal voting representative.
Mr Walden said: “Cittaslow Ludlow has also asked the council for £2,000 in the financial next year to cover the town’s subscription to Cittaslow (UK) Ltd.
“I believe it is now essential to determine whether or not the council supports the principles of Cittaslow.”
5 Comments
Why? What IS wrong with the Town council of Ludlow?
Or should it be re-named The CLOWN Council of Ludlow? Because they are making themselves a laughing stock!
this really is short sighted policy by a myopic council there was an item on the bbc one program called one only last week complaining about shopping centres having the same shops with the same choice of products. the one program compared exeters new shopping area with that of ludlow and ludlow was praised as a slow shopping town with a wide selection of shops. come on ludlow council get something right for once cittaslow now has national recognition, i would be glad if my local town of ottery st mary would become cittaslow
If Mrs Glaze and Mr Bradley don’t like it then it seems we are not allowed to have it! How VERY shortsighted, how very typical.
It would appear that another asset of Ludlow is about to be lost due to the narrow and prejudiced views of the current Town Council.
Why do the present “elected”!!! councillors seem hell bent on destroying all the worthwhile achievements created during the past 4 years?
In 6 months they have sucessfully become the butt of sarcasm from all parts.
Do the good people of Ludlow deserve this, and can it be allowed to continue for another 3 1/2 years?
And what exactly are their reasons for not wanting Cittaslow? Simply put, they don’t like Graeme Kidd.
What kind of argument is that when discussing what has been an enormous feather in Ludlow’s hat.