Shirehall leaders are expected tomorrow to back a change in the date of elections to the proposed new Shropshire unitary authority to avoid giving the impression of a county council takeover.

The county council cabinet will be considering a draft response to Government guidance on implementing unitary status. Originally the council had supported elections next May.

However cabinet members are now being asked to support these being held in May 2009.

Under unitary plans the five districts and boroughs will be axed but the county council will remain as the “continuing authority”.

Following elections to it, the council will some time later be vested with full unitary powers, becoming in effect a different organisation with new staff and a possible doubling in membership to 96 councillors.

A report to cabinet says the arguments for elections in either 2008 or 2009 are very finely balanced.

The advantage of elections next year would be a “democratic mandate” for the councillors making unitary decisions, early transition resulting in minimal disruption, and the early achievement of savings.

However it would also have the disadvantage of up to 10 newly elected members of the county council cabinet making all decisions relating to the unitary implementation while district councillors remained in place for up to another year with a feeling of “disempowerment and disengagement”.

The report warns: “This will give the perception of the county council take over, which the county council has been at pains to avoid.”

Cabinet members at Shrewsbury and Borough Council, which is opposed to the unitary move, will also be discussing its response next week. They are being recommended to support elections in May 2008.

A key element of its response is that it proceeds with the establishment of a Shrewsbury Town Council to which assets “traditionally managed by the administrative area of Shrewsbury” should be transferred.

By Dave Morris