Bid to speed up unitary hearing

A council opposed to government plans to create a unitary authority covering Shropshire have asked the High Court to hear their case earlier than planned.

The judicial review being sought by Shrewsbury and Atcham Borough Council was not due to be heard until August.

But the council has said it wants a hearing before 22 June - the end of the consultation period for the proposal.

Currently the county is run by the county council and a number of district and borough councils.

Shrewsbury and Atcham Borough Council is challenging the unitary authority plan on the grounds that the government does not have the power to undertake the review and that the review has been unfair and unbalanced.

Suspended poll

In previous local consultations North Shropshire District Council and Bridgnorth District Council also opposed the plan.

Shropshire County Council, Oswestry Borough Council and South Shropshire District Council supported the move.

In an online BBC poll, 64% of people voted against a unitary authority.

The poll was suspended after it emerged the county council communications chief Paul Masterman had sent an email to colleagues telling them how to vote more than once. He later left his post.