Independent Group leader not standing in council election

Edward Towers, who is also the Independent Group leader, has confirmed he won’t be standing in the local elections on May 1.

Wem is one of only two divisions in Shropshire that elects two councillors. In 2021, Cllr Towers won with 29.86% of the vote, followed by Conservatives’ Peter Broomhall on 24.42%.

Cllr Broomhall will again seek to be re-elected, with fellow Tory, Nathan Lea, also standing. The other candidates are John Britton and Barbara Cotterell (Labour), Gary Groves and Alan Holford (Liberal Democrats); and Jeremy Farrow, Mark Thompson (Reform UK) and Tim Dawes (Green Party). 

However, because Cllr Towers won’t be standing, there isn’t an independent candidate.

“I have been giving this decision a lot of thought and taken advice from several quarters as this was not an easy decision,” said Cllr Towers, who will be standing in Wem Town Council elections.

“I have felt very supported during my four year term by the residents in my home area, and felt very privileged to serve them in this way.

“However, two of my children now have our four young pre-school grandchildren who live away down south and across in the East Midlands. My wife and I need to help them as they are holding down full time jobs and find they need our support in a variety of ways.”

Posting a personal statement on a local Facebook page, Cllr Towers added that, while things in local government can appear to work slowly, progress is being made on many fronts despite the frustations often encountered.

“There is obviously much more to do and plans I would like to see happening but be assured the concerns of Wem have been clearly spoken about and taken seriously in Shirehall, and now Guildhall,” said Cllr Towers.

“For example, town one-way system, the White Horse, building homes, town infrastructure needs, improvements for our High Street trading and the self-help group now emerging and needed for strengthening our local economy and businesses.

“I have been able to do this as an ‘independent’, working collaboratively across the council to achieve things. People must come before political parties at this local level of governance whatever you may now be hearing on the doorsteps and through the post box.

“Don’t let people try and convince you that you have to be in a party to achieve things. For the last six months, I was asked to be Leader of the Independent Group in the county.

“I represented you at the top table with the other group leaders and Shropshire Council officers to bring about a balanced budget for 2025/26 that protects front line services – libraries, leisure facilities, etc – despite having to find an extra £62m, much of which was imposed on local authorities by central government for statutory services such as extra adult and social care services.

“Now across the various groups, we have to address government devolution plans and the huge changes to local planning they want to see.

“We want government to address rural issues and not only see things through metropolitan eyes. This year, they withdrew £10m plus of rural support grant from Shropshire – saying deprivation was an urban problem.”