Children's services should be protected in Shropshire Council cuts, say voters

Residents also want to protect education and services to help older people and vulnerable adults.

The next most important services were environment, transport, employment, leisure, housing and health.

Nearly half of the 2,200 people – 49 per cent – who responded to the Shropshire Council-run Big Conversation survey said they were in favour of raising council tax to protect key services. Some 34 per cent were against the idea and 15 per cent were unsure.

The least important three out of 12 options were running the council itself, safety regulation and protection for businesses, consumers and communities, and registration of births, deaths and marriages.

Protecting vulnerable children and education were seen as being about twice as important as employment services, and three times as important as health and housing services.

Councillor Cecilia Motley, the council's cabinet member for rural services and communities and Shropshire's Big Conversation, said: "This comes in light of continuous Government cuts which in five years' time will leave only one quarter of the current funding that pays for over 150 services.

"This is a reduction of 75 per cent of the £100 million the council currently spends on these services, and means it will have to stop delivering some services.

"So in the same way that many residents are making difficult decisions about their budget, the council must continue to do the same."

More than 55 per cent of people who responded said that some council fees should be increased so that the costs of some services are largely paid for by the direct user.

A total of 77 per cent agreed or strongly agreed that the council should combine services with other councils and public sector organisations.

Some 53 per cent of respondents agreed or strongly agreed with investing in IT to reduce staff costs while just 21 per cent disagreed.

About 62 per cent generally agreed that Shropshire Council should protect some services and cut back on others to save money.

Clive Wright, chief executive for Shropshire Council said: "We've had a fantastic response to the first phase of the Big Conversation. It's been really encouraging to see so many local people and organisations from across a wide spread of geographic and social economic backgrounds.

"Although we are still analysing the results of the survey, initial findings highlight where we need to go and explore further."