£27 million to be cut by Shropshire Council
Savings of about £27 million will have to be found by Shropshire Council over the next financial year to plug a growing shortfall in funding.
Around £10 million of savings have already been identified, leaving a £17m funding gap – which could be part-filled with "high-risk" savings hitting areas such as adult and children's services.
The council today revealed the gap as part of a two-year report that details the proposed strategy for the financial years 2017-18, and 2018-19. It warns a further £14m of savings will also need to be found in the second year on top of cuts made for the next 12 months.
The £10m cuts already identified will come from areas including refuse collection and recycling, planning and environmental health, parks and public transport.
The extra £17m savings needed will force the council to look for more cuts in areas like housing support and help to prevent children going into care. It will also include savings in leisure centre, museums and libraries.
Head of council finance James Walton warns in the report: "There is a significant risk the council's financial position will impact on service delivery in future years. It is still unclear as to the extent of this impact as a great deal of work, including consultation where necessary, is required."
The proposed cuts were being discussed at today's Shropshire Council cabinet meeting.
Mr Walton said: "This approach needs detailed consideration to ensure the council is not placed at risk of being unable to deliver statutory functions or being unable to meet the needs of the most vulnerable."
The report breaks proposed savings down into three category ratings – green, amber and red. Green savings are those ranked as deliverable with "minimal impact" while amber are said to be not recommended from a service point of view, but "are considered achievable". They include savings in children's services, community development and theatre services.
The two lower risk ratings make up about £10m of the proposed savings but still leave the council with a gap of £17m. Members of Shropshire Council's cabinet were today discussing the green and amber rated savings proposals, and were being asked to agree plans that can be put forward to a meeting of the full council.
