IV.

Population and Administration

The population of Shropshire was estimated in 2001 to be 283,240. The main towns are Shrewsbury (population, 1991, 64,219), Bridgnorth (1991, 11,229), and Oswestry (2001, 37,308). Other towns of note are Church Stretton (1991, 3,435), Ludlow (1991, 9,040), Market Drayton (1991, 9,482), and Whitchurch (1991, 7,868).

The county is administered from the Shirehall, Shrewsbury. The county at present has a county council and five district councils: Bridgnorth, North Shropshire, Oswestry, Shrewsbury and Atcham, and South Shropshire. The administrative structure of Shropshire changed as a result of the Local Government Act 1992, which revised the structure of local government in England. In April 1998, one of the old district councils was separated from the county to become a new unitary authority, Telford and Wrekin; it remains geographically part of Shropshire. The rest of the county retains the existing two-tier structure of county and district councils. The police authority is the West Mercia Constabulary, with headquarters in Hindlip, Worcester. A Crown Court sits at Shrewsbury.