Worthen with Shelve Parish Council is a local authority that makes decisions on behalf of the people in the parish. It is the level of government closest to the community, with Shropshire Unitary Council above it in the hierarchy. As it is the authority closest to the people, it is invariably the first place people will come with concerns or ideas.
Worthen with Shelve Parish Council make all kinds of decisions on issues that affect the local community. Probably the most common topics the parish council gets involved with are: planning matters, including planning applications (the Parish Council is a statutory consultee NOT the decision maker) and strategic planning for the future; road safety; street lighting; closed churchyards; burial ground (Hope); bus shelters; public toilet in Snailbeach; pot holes; and drain clearance, to name but a few.
Worthen with Shelve Parish Council meetings are usually held on the last Monday of each month and members of the public can also attend. There is a forum before the start of the meeting at which members of the public can raise concerns and ask questions. Meetings may last two or three hours, depending on the agenda set for the meeting to discuss. In addition to the regular meetings, councillors are required to attend other meetings and represent the council for example at Village Hall Committee meetings and the Local Joint Committee. There is also an annual meeting in April to which all parishioners are invited. Meetings are advertised on local notice boards and in shops throughout the parish and on this website. Residents can bring to the attention of the parish council anything that concerns them, either directly to a councillor or through the clerk (during normal working hours) If matters raised are not the responsibility of the council, the clerk can bring them to the attention of the proper authority.
Worthen with Shelve falls within the UK Parliamentary Constituency of Ludlow, the Unitary Authority Electoral Division of Chirbury and Worthen, and within Bishop's Castle, Chirbury, Worthen & Clun Local Joint Committee area. There are seventeen locally elected Councillors who represent the parishioners in each of the wards. Parish Councillors are volunteers and are not paid. The only paid employer of the Parish Council is the Clerk/Responsible Financial Officer.
Worthen with Shelve Parish is geographically one of the largest in Shropshire. Most of the Parish is situated within the Shropshire Hills Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.
There are three wards in the Parish. The villages of Snailbeach and Stiperstones together with a string of hamlets which lie along the western flank of the Stiperstones range of hills in south west Shropshire make up Heath Ward represented by five Parish Councillors. Hope with Shelve Ward extends from The Bog road, along to Hemford, encompassing Bentlawnt, Hope Valley, Hogstow Hall, Drury Lane, Shelve and Santley represented by six Parish Councillors. The Worthen Ward stretches from Aston Rogers, through to Worthen and Brockton, to Binweston represented by six Parish Councillors.
The western boundary of Worthen with Shelve Parish runs along the Welsh border from north of Rowley Hill down to Flying Ditches west of Binweston, where it meets the Chirbury parish boundary, as far as the turning for White Grit off the A488. The boundary (at this stage formed by the River West Onny to the west of the A488), then runs along the Welsh border again before turning east at Nind. The boundary runs south of Nind and then turns north east, leaving Cranberry Rock to Ratlinghope Parish, before running along the top of the ridge of the Stiperstones, literally through the middle of the Devil’s Chair. It encloses Snailbeach and Eastridge Wood and then turns back towards the Hope Valley, hitting the A488 just south of Wagbeach. The boundary then runs northwards, taking in Aston Rogers and Mondaytown before turning west towards the Welsh border at Rowley Hill again. The ancient tradition of walking the parish boundary, known as Beating the Bounds, would probably take quite a while.
The total population of Worthen and Shelve Parish was estimated to be 2,004 in 2008. Worthen/Brockton is the largest settlement in the parish, with an estimated population of 609. There are two other settlements in the parish; Snailbeach (134) and Stiperstones (59). On the whole the area has a slightly older age structure than the county average, although the percentage aged 0-15 is slightly higher than the county average. The over-45 age groups make up a higher percentage than the county, regional and national averages. The working age population accounts for 60.5% of the total compared to 58.2% in Shropshire, 60.9% in the West Midlands and 62.1% in England. (Source: ONS MYE Population Estimates 2008)
In 2001 69.7% of the population aged 16-74 were economically active (compared to a county average of 68.7%, a regional average of 65.9% and national average of 66.9%). The local people are generally highly skilled. The proportion of people aged 16-74 who have no qualifications is lower than the county, regional and national averages. (Source: 2001 Census)
The main industries now are agriculture and tourism and associated trades. Farming is mainly dairy with some arable, and sheep on the higher ground.
There are tourist centres at Snailbeach Mine and Bog Visitor Centre, though the whole area is attractive to tourists and there are a wealth of b&bs, holiday rentals and inns offering accommodation for visitors
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