'I have failed my residents': Councillor quits party over Shropshire rally decision

A councillor has quit the Liberal Democrats after Shropshire Council gave the green light for a rally to go ahead.

The Hills Ford Stages event - run by Cheltenham Motor Club - will take place over the weekend of September 19 and 20, kicking off with a ceremonial event in Shrewsbury town centre.

The rally itself will see around 140 vehicles racing through south Shropshire at one minute intervals on Sunday, September 20.

Road closures will in place for two-and-a-half hours in the morning and two-and-a-half hours in the afternoon, with the principal headquarters and service area being at Battlefield Livestock Market.

There will be five stages in the following electoral divisions and parish council areas: Linley, Dorrington, Cressage, Lawley, and Clee Hill.

However, the rally has divided opinion. On the one hand, people think it will bring great economic benefits to the county - estimated at hundreds of thousands of pounds - while others are worried about the disruption it will cause.

The Dorrington stage has caused particular concern among some locals, especially the route that will go through a busy working farm in Church Pulverbatch.

Councillor Chris Naylor, who represents Burnell, said residents and the parish council have repeatedly expressed strong opposition to closed road sections through the village.

"It’s of course my job as councillor for Burnell to advise my residents, and I was repeatedly told, from the highest level in the council down, that a particular highways officer would decide," said Councillor Naylor, who will now stand as an independent.

"The parish council and I therefore expressed opposition to him in February, and I was emailed by this officer’s superior to confirm that objections had been received and – I quote - ‘he won’t approve any road closures in their parish’. We were ensured those dozens of objections - including farms straddling the proposed closed route, holiday lets, nature recovery champions – were forwarded to the officer, his superior and the leader."

Councillor David Vasmer, portfolio holder for highways, said all representations have been reviewed and considered as part of the assessment process and have informed both ongoing discussions with the organiser and the reports which form part of the Cabinet decision."

On Wednesday (June 10), Cabinet were asked to consider whether to grant the necessary orders for the rally to go ahead. Members were given a "free vote" meaning they could consider it independently, rather than politically.

A total of six councillors voted for, with three - including the leader, Councillor Heather Kidd - voting against.

Following the decision, Councillor Naylor said that, while he is not against the rally, he will resign from the Lib Dems - believing he had failed residents in Church Pulverbatch.

"We were told in writing Pulverbatch wouldn't be included - road closures mean no speed limit, and the Pulverbatch route goes right through the middle of a busy working farm," said Councillor Naylor.

He added: “The Lib Dems and staff are doing a great job to keep the show on the road in tough times, but this particular decision to overrule pretty unanimous community views goes right against my Lib Dem values."

Alex Postlethwaite, who works for Shropshire Council's street works coordination and administration team, said that there is still scope for manoeuvre regarding the exact routes.

"Once the cars are off the main route, they have to drive in normal conditions, obey the highway law, and they are very strictly monitored in terms of the speed they can travel at and the routes they take between the stages," said Mr Postlethwaite.

Deputy leader, Alex Wagner, who represents Quarry and Coton Hill in Shrewsbury, said he has a lot of sympathy for people living in Church Pulverbatch.

However, he said that, while it will be very easy not to let it happen or have conditions in place to make it impossible, "it's about sensible management of an event that will have some significant economic benefit."

"I think fundamentally, we should be trying to find a way to make this work," said Councillor Wagner.

Councillor Vasmer (Underdale) was also supportive.

"I think it's an important opportunity for the county to actually get some publicity and also some great commercial activities for local businesses," he said.

"Event organisers are committed to collaborate positively with the local communities to help provide and maintain access where possible and is safe to do so. And address the concerns of nearby businesses and residents.

"If we make a decision, that's not the end of it - there will be discussions going forward.

"There's also issues with environmental damage, but there are reporting structures for residents and landowners to put forward for any damage that takes place. Videos will be taken at all stages before and after, and after the rally, there will be inspections and repair schedules put forward to make sure that roads and verges are returned to the condition that they were before."

"I've lived in an area where rallies have taken place before and they have been very well organised. I think people will find this will be a great event for Shrewsbury and Shropshire."

However, Councillor Roger Evans (Longden) was against it.

He said: "Everybody's concentrating on the closed routes, nobody seems to consider what will happen when those 140 vehicles, at one minute intervals, will go from one route, or closed area, to the next closed area.

"It is complete secrecy what is happening to those roads. I've managed to find one map which shows the green routes between the red routes. But no one else is finding them - no one is contacting them.

"No one from the council and certainly not the rally organisers have gone along those routes to do it. I've had farmers contact me saying they will be moving their cows along these routes and will be using tractors.

"They would like to know what is happening, the times, and if and when they will be contacted. As will the parish councils."

"And secondly, I came into politics to champion small communities like Pulverbatch. They have done everything right - passing parish council motions, sending dozens of residents objections, for months now. "We were the only parish council to object to the original plans. But now local views have been ignored and rural peace shattered. In Herefordshire last year this same rally was refused - surely that should have rung alarm bells."