Time to create ‘shadows’ new Telford parish councils urged

New ‘shadow’ parish councils will be set up in parts of Telford where the grass roots authorities have started a wholesale reorganisation, a meeting heard.

The new councils are soon to receive information which will enable them to start the process of deciding budgets – and council taxes – in time for them to hit residents’ door mats next spring.

A community governance review run by Telford & Wrekin Council concluded in November 2025 by approving the creation of entirely new parish councils in Muxton and Priorslee and merging Donnington with St Georges.

Also Oakengates Town Council is being merged with Wrockwardine Wood Parish Council with Trench being added on top.

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In the rural areas a new parish council for Chetwynd Aston and Church Aston is being formed after it was decided to take Station Road from Chetwynd Aston & Woodcote Parish and add it to an expanding Newport Town Council.

Other town and parish councils are having their boundaries changed but will not need to set up shadows, the borough’s boundary review committee heard on Tuesday, July 7, 2026.

Among the changes is the expansion of Wellington Town Council with the addition of Bratton and Admaston.

Other smaller rural parish councils will be shrinking in terms of voter numbers and councillors as they maintain their separate identities without being merged or axed.

The swapping of areas will mean some residents will find themselves transferred to different wards or parishes.

Although the new councils will be elected at the all-out poll across the borough in May, 2027, the meeting heard that preparations should start now. There are potentially complicated issues to sort out.

Anthea Lowe, director of policy and governance at Telford & Wrekin Council, said: “I suggest that new shadow councils be set up informally now.”

The boundary review committee was told that “final checks” are being made on the wording of a legal order to formally constitute the new arrangements.

“Once the order is made they can be formally constituted but they can be set up informally now,” she added.

The senior official was answering a question from Councillor Nigel Dugmore (Conservative, Muxton) who is also a member of the current Donnington and Muxton Parish Council.

A related review of polling districts, polling places and polling stations is currently under way to make sure voting arrangements match the newly redrawn boundaries.

The shadow parish councils will be tasked with sorting out who gets what as they sort out which assets belong to which authorities.

Tuesday’s meeting was told that deciding assets might not be a “straightforward” process.

“There is no legal framework which says it is an easy method,” the meeting heard.

“If they can’t agree then it goes to the principal authority (Telford & Wrekin Council) to determine.”

The meeting heard that so far there has been a “limited take up” of an offer to meet with borough officials.

“Clerks are aware,” said Anthea Lowe. “The onus is on them.”