Sites sell-off raises £18 million
Shrewsbury & Atcham Borough Council has raked in more than £18 million by selling-off valuable sites around the town, new figures revealed today.
But the authority forked out £23 million last year on major capital projects including Sundorne Sports Village, the new livestock market and Theatre Severn. The figures have come to light following the annual publication of the council's accounts for the 2005/2006 financial year.
To meet its spending plans for the next four years, the authority plans to raise council tax by at least two per cent above the rate of inflation for the next four years.
Possible job cuts, reduced services and introducing fortnightly bin collections are also being considered.
During last year the borough made money by selling sites including Harlescott's old livestock market, The Stew at Frankwell Quay and the countryside unit on Roman Road. Severnside Housing also handed over nearly £2 million from the sale of ex-council houses to tenants.
But spending on general services was nearly £230,000 over budget.
A report drawn up by head of finance Campbell Thompson says the council's pensions deficit decreased by nearly £1.7 million but still stands at more than £20 million.
Improvements to services that taxpayers have seen include the opening of the sports village and the new livestock market, in Battlefield, it says.
And it spells out that most cash from the capital fund will be spent on housing and the new theatre during the current financial year.
Council leader Peter Nutting today said he believed the council was in a healthy position for the future.
"I believe the financial situation is a lot better than it is made out to be," he said.
The Conservative leader said more 'waste credit' money than expected would be handed over to the borough by Shropshire County Council this year. And he said councillors were looking at ways to safeguard weekly bin collections.
"We are considering cutting the green waste collection in the winter. We have to do more work to see what savings that would give us. I would rather do something like that than do the alternate weekly collection."
By Tom Warren
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