Public’s views wanted on possible ideas for budget savings

Like councils across the country, Shropshire Council faces more difficult decisions and wants your views on these as it seeks to become financially sustainable. 

Savings have already been made from all parts of the council budget in recent years and further reductions will still be needed.  

It remains unclear, until the Local Government Financial Settlement is received from central Government, just how far these cuts will need to go.  This is expected in the week beginning 16 December 2024. 

 The proposals set out in this consultation will impact on services the council delivers but may not go far enough to deliver the balanced budget it is legally required to set. 

 The outcome of this consultation will be considered alongside the total settlement amount to decide the next steps the council must take. 

Around £4 in every £5 the council spends is on social care, looking after the most vulnerable people in the county. More people than ever now need this support, which the council must provide, while costs to do so are rising. 

 Some of the changes the council is considering include: 

• Possible changes to how often household rubbish is collected, such as collecting non-recyclable rubbish from homes every three weeks
• Changing how park and ride services in Shrewsbury are funded with a view to boosting use of these. Ludlow’s park and ride service would not be affected. 
• Whether the council should invest in more energy efficient streetlighting to save running costs  
• Proposals to reduce the days the council’s main museum and art gallery is open 

The full list of proposals is included in the consultation, and it is currently estimated that, together, these could deliver up to £8.5m in savings. It is possible that this would be the extent of savings required.  

Otherwise, if the settlement proposes that funding is moved away from rural authorities like Shropshire then additional multi-million savings may be required. This will not become clear until mid-January. 

The council is also proposing to put council tax up by 4.99%, equivalent to approximately £1.65 more a week for the average Band D home. The Government assumes that the council will do this next year and this includes a 2% charge for adult social care. 

All political groups on Shropshire Council have agreed to put these ideas for savings into a consultation, for people to have their say. 

 In a joint statement, the leaders of political groups on Shropshire Council said:  

 “In the last year, the council has had to make some very difficult decisions, many things we never wanted to do but now have no choice but to do, to keep the council in budget. 

 “These suggestions for savings are being put forward as the council is left with little choice. What we have now, like many other councils, is a difficult and unenviable budgetary situation.  

 “However, we are where we are. As Political Groups within the Council we don’t all sign up to some of the items put forward in the consultation and it is likely that individual groups will not support some or all of the suggestions. These are difficult times, and we have worked together for the best interests of our Shropshire residents. 

 “People in Shropshire are noticing more and more the impact of the council’s financial challenge, from charging for garden waste collections to fewer roads repairs and the council reducing its size by around 1 in 5 jobs. 

 “However, we will need to do more next year and we now need to consider what some of those options could be. This is why we want to hear the public’s views on these. 

 “Whatever the Government’s financial settlement later in December is, we are sure that with the ever-growing need for social care and rising costs for services that council tax increases will not cover, more difficult decisions are ahead. 

 “So please tell us what you think about our approach and these ideas to make more savings.”  

Feedback from the consultation will inform the final budget proposals which will come back to Full Council in February.    

 The consultation is available at  www.shropshire.gov.uk/budget25 and runs until Sunday 26 January 2025.  

Copies of the consultation document are also available at the following Shropshire Council libraries: Bayston Hill, Bridgnorth, Church Stretton, The Lantern (Shrewsbury), Ludlow, Market Drayton, Much Wenlock, Oswestry, Pontesbury, Shrewsbury and Wem.  There is support available to complete the survey at our Shropshire Local centres in Ludlow Shrewsbury and mobile services. 

Residents in Whitchurch can take part in the survey at the sports centre whilst the library is being relocated. 

The leaders of Shropshire Council’s pollical groups are Cllr Lezley Picton (Council Leader and Conservative Group Leader); Cllrs Roger Evans and Heather Kidd (Liberal Democrat Group Leaders); Cllr Rosemary Dartnall (Labour Group Leader); Cllr Ed Towers (Independents); Cllr Duncan Kerr (Greens Leader)