Shropshire Council expands in-person customer services to rural communities
Shropshire Council has announced a significant expansion of its in-person customer service offering, Shropshire Local, to new locations across the county starting this month.
The move aims to make council services more accessible to residents, particularly those in rural areas.
Bringing Services Closer to Home
Shropshire Local provides dedicated support with a wide range of council services, including assistance with housing benefit, Blue Badge applications, council tax, and more.
The expansion sees new services launching in libraries in Whitchurch, Shifnal, Albrighton, and Broseley, as well as Enterprise House in Bishops Castle.
Councillor Alex Wagner, Shropshire Council’s deputy leader, expressed his enthusiasm for the new initiative. “We are thrilled to expand Shropshire Local, our in-person customer service offer, to even more locations across the county,” he said.
"We’re committed to making council services more accessible and convenient for all of our residents, particularly in more rural areas, and hope that this stands as testament to doing just that."
New Locations and Timings
The new Shropshire Local services will be available on a rotational basis in the following locations:
Whitchurch Library – Every first Tuesday of the month, 10am to 4pm
Shifnal Library – August 15 and September 12, 10am to 4pm
Albrighton Library – August 19 and September 16, 10am to 12.30pm
Broseley Library – August 19 and September 16, 2pm to 4pm
Bishops Castle, Enterprise House – September 4 and September 18, 10am to 4pm
These new services complement the existing Shropshire Local sites in Shrewsbury, Ludlow, Oswestry, Bridgnorth, and Market Drayton. The council confirmed that the service is no longer available at Shrewsbury Library but remains at The Guildhall in Shrewsbury from Monday to Friday, 9.30am to 5pm.
Councillor Wagner highlighted the success of an initial event, stating, “Our Shropshire Local service has already started in Bishop’s Castle and it was a huge success. Our staff had a busy day helping residents with things such as Blue Badge, Council Tax and Concessionary Travel.”
The expansion is part of the council’s commitment to ensuring all residents can receive the help they need, with friendly and experienced staff on hand to guide them through various support systems. Councillor Wagner encouraged everyone to visit the new locations and take advantage of the in-person services now available to more communities.
