WEM councillors have voted against forming a new traffic group within the town council itself.

Currently Wem Economic Forum (WEF) has a traffic group which meets to discuss traffic issues in the town, but at Wem Town Council's full council meeting, held virtually on Thursday, November 26, a proposal was put forward to bring the group 'in house'.

The proposal was put forward by Councillor Roger Drummond, who believed that a smaller group that met directly with Shropshire Council would have better luck in dealing with issues than the existing WEF group.

Speaking at the meeting, Cllr Drummond said: "I felt we needed the town council to take possession of the project.

"I'm now aware the traffic measures working party doesn't cover the scale and scope that Wem Town Council should be doing about highway issues in Wem.

"It's not just about the traffic, it's about the maintenance of the highway and the signing that anyone that travels through Wem will appreciate that there are problems and difficulties.

"It needs to be extending the scope to call it a highways project group, which could make an intimate discussion and contact with Shropshire Council officers and members.

"I'm aware also that there is such a group in the form of the town council Planning and Transport Committee, but that in fact is the entire council, it's not a limited group that could work closely with officers and elected members of Shropshire Council.

"Basically I feel that we need something like that, I'm not limiting the number to four but at thy same time I have this concept of it being a quite focused with intimate debates with people who can get things moving in Shirehall."

Councillors were mixing in their views on Cllr Drummond's proposal, with some agreeing in principle with the idea to have closer contact with Shropshire Council, but others concerned that it would take away resident's voices.

Cllr Edward Towers was one of those concerned by the proposal.

He said: "I just feel, although I have some sympathy for it, that possibly that this move is a little ahead of its time.

"If this went back into the town Council it would not have local people voicing their concerns in the same way.

"The Terms of Reference are now that the forum reports to the town council.

"This is an interesting proposal, but not yet until we have more time and the staffing in place."

Cllr Pauline Dee was supportive meanwhile, believing that having such a group directly integrated into the town council would allow more councillors to have their say on matters.

"This is something we need to be doing now," said Cllr Dee. "When I had my surgeries the public come to us as members of the town council to sort any problems out.

"I would support Rogers as I would think some of the town councillors might feel their voice isn't heard on the forum."

After further discussion, a proposal was put forward to disband the WEF traffic group and create a new group based inside the town council, but this proposal was voted down five to four.