Councillors to receive verbal management update on North West Relief Road

Andy Wilde, the authority’s assistant director for infrastructure, is to set to give a verbal update at the committee's meeting on Thursday (February 6).

It comes after an external auditor gave a scathing assessment on how the council has managed the project – saying it lacks a proper plan for funding or for cancelling it. Grant Thornton’s report last November also revealed that the road is now estimated to cost £178m – more than double the £81m originally expected.

The council has also admitted that it won’t be able to meet its net zero target by 2030, with the carbon emissions produced by the NWRR now estimated to be 55,904 tonnes – way more than the previous forecast of 26,711 tonnes.

Due to all of the issues that have blighted the scheme, Shrewsbury Town Council has called for an inquiry “to investigate the poor performance of Shropshire Council’s administration in decision making".

The motion – which was carried at Monday’s town council meeting (January 27) – also asks for the inquiry to consider and report the findings of the external auditors' report in full, whether there was sufficient scrutiny and challenge within the council, and if alternative options have been appropriately considered.

“This is the biggest project the council has ever undertaken and it has got way out of control,” said Councillor Rob Wilson (Liberal Democrat), shadow portfolio holdfer for climate change, environment and transport.

Councillor Rosemary Dartnall, group leader for Labour, added: “In my experience at Shropshire Council, I have not experienced anything in the capital projects arena that has the same life-cycle as this terrible road project.

“It has been the opposite of transparent – it’s been littered with failure.”

However, Councillor Alexander Phillips (Conservative, Bagley), did not support the motion and proposed it was amended to ask for an inqury to investigate how council projects can best drive economic growth in a way that is aupportive of the Government’s net zero targets. It would also make recommendations on how they be best managed by all councils, including Shrewsbury Town Council, in the future.

However, his proposal only received the support of fellow Tory councillor Becky Wall.

Councillor Dan Morris, cabinet member for highways, said: “The project has been fully scrutinised on a number of occasions throughout by the council’s audit internally, and will revisit audit committee for a further update.

“The finances are currently subject to an external audit by Grant Thornton at the Department for Transport’s request. This was planned and is part of the standard grant process.

“The project was also under another Grant Thornton external audit (in response to a Shropshire Council member challenge) that required no further actions.”