Episode Details

‘If you’re a mayor, put your hands in the air!’

While national politics and politicians make the headlines, much of the day-to-day work of providing the services we need and making decisions about the local issues that affect us takes place at grassroots level.

No-one’s more aware of that than Cllr Alex Wagner.

Alex is the Liberal Democrat deputy leader of Shropshire Council. He’s also a Shrewsbury town councillor, and is currently the town’s mayor, with a decade-long track record in local politics.

And - let’s get this out of the way - he’s only twenty-four years old.

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‘Shrewsbury’s unique, it’s exceptional, I don’t know any other place I’d rather live’

Alex Wagner and I had a sit-down in the Bird’s Nest Café in Shrewsbury’s multi-award-winning Market Hall to talk over some things I wanted to ask him, and questions suggested by Hello You listeners too.

Topics covered include:

* the pedestrianisation of Shrewsbury

* the 8.99% increase in council tax

* buses, including the experimental Night Bus

* potholes (of course!)

* housing and new developments; what’s needed and where they should go

* the North West Relief Road

* live music, grassroots venues, festivals and Loopfest

* the parlous state of Shropshire Council’s finances, recently saved from going bust by a £190million government loan

* beer and pubs

* flags, FFS

* schools

* Shrewsbury Pride

* the right to herd sheep, and other mayoral privileges

* what makes a vibrant town centre

* Greek Orthodox Church services

* young people getting involved in politics

* how people get in and out of Shrewsbury

* scones

‘I’ve chosen to make this the place I want to spend my life, because it’s a brilliant town’

Join in the conversation about what Alex Wagner had to say, in the comments:

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