See the cuts planned to save Shropshire Council £8.5 million

The council has been grappling with a multi-million pound budget shortfall for some months, with the authority most recently predicting a £35m shortfall in its books come the end of the financial year.

Now, in an unusual move all of the council's political groups have come together to sign off on a public consultation on options to save £8.5m.

The political co-operation serves to illustrate the severity of the crisis at Shirehall, as the authority works to balance the books.

The consultation includes a number of proposals for what would be significant changes in a host of areas operated by the council.

What are the options?

* One option would see the authority potentially moving black bin and non-green waste recycling collections to every three weeks instead of every two weeks as they are currently.

People will also be asked whether they support moving just black bin collections to every three weeks.

* The council is asking people for their thoughts on the level of council tax they pay, requesting opinions on two options.

The first is an overall increase of 4.99 per cent - made up of two per cent specifically for adult social care, and a general 2.99 per cent rise - equivalent to an extra £1.65 a week for a Band D property.

The second is for a further two per cent on top of the 4.99 per cent plan - equivalent to an extra £1.65p a week for a Band D property.

* Changes are also being considered for street lighting, with three proposals - the first two of which are considered the council's 'preferred options', saying the third would lead to "increased safety risks".

One would see all remaining street light bulbs converted to LEDS - costing £500,000 but saving £109,000 a year - and every year going forward.

The second would be to convert heritage lantern bulbs on street lamps in the historic style. This would cost £950,000 but would save £104,000 a year - and every year going forward. 

The third is to switch a number of street lights off entirely. 

The consultation explains: "The council currently turns street lights off for several hours during the dark hours every night. Currently, in some areas, street lights remain on all night in areas where there are more people and traffic, typically at junctions. 

"We could shut off some or all of these during dark hours, which could save up to £209,000 of revenue per year with a £395,000 capital investment."

* People are being asked their opinion on increasing car parking charges across the council area - although specific details of the increases are not revealed.

The consultation states: "The Council is considering increasing car parking charges to reduce the cost of our overall traffic management operations, potentially reducing costs by £0.5m."

* Two options are being put forward for Shrewsbury's Park and Ride Service - with the authority stressing that its preference is option one.

The consultation says: "Option one would increase usage of Park & Ride to reduce its costs. The council could invest some of the funding allocated through the Bus Service Improvement Plan process, increasing the frequency of the service to provide more journeys between the sites and the town centre. As a result of those frequency improvements, we believe that passengers numbers would grow and revenues increase, which would bring about a reduction in overall council costs."

Option two is to 'pause or cease Park & Ride services to realise a cost reduction in public transport of £250k'.

*  The council is proposing to cut the operating hours of Shrewsbury Museum and Art Gallery, and Shrewsbury Castle - with the aim of saving £50,000 a year.

The consultation explains the move would see both closed two days a week, throughout the year.

It states: "It is proposed that a change of operating hours at Shrewsbury Museum & Art Gallery (SM&AG) and Shrewsbury Castle is implemented from January 2025. 

"Under current operating hours, both facilities close on a Monday from November to April. It is proposed that from January 2025, these sites move to closure on a Sunday and a Monday all year round, opening Tuesday to Saturday. It is estimated that this change will help to meet a savings target of under £50,000."

* A number of further options are canvassed, including the following.

-  Increasing the number of foster carers across the county - estimated to save the council £1.375m.

- Revising debt collection process to collect more unpaid debts, with the consultation stating: "By revising our current processes we believe we could collect more of the unpaid debt, reducing pressure on our budgets. Increasing debt collection by the council."

The plan is estimated to save £1.4m.

-  The closure of household recycling centres on certain days.

The council has already consulted on this plan, but no action has yet been taken. It estimates the proposals would save £390,000 a year.

-  Greater enforcement of car parking tickets, littering fines, and other civil measures - estimated to save £300,000.

- Introducing and enforcing residential parking permits - estimated to save £100,000.

- Review and potentially reduce some leisure provision - estimated to save £350,000.

- Ask other organisations, such as town or parish councils, to take on and run council operated leisure centres. Estimated to save £200,000.

- Pass on the management of green spaces to town and parish councils where they wish to take them on. Estimated to save £200,000.

- Asking people who are self-funding social care to make a greater contribution. Estimated to save £1m.

What has Shropshire Council said?

A statement from the council said the proposals may not even go far enough to balance the books - if the government settlement goes against the county.

It said: "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.

"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 per cent, 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 two per cent charge for adult social care."

The proposals have been signed off by all of the council's groups, and in a joint statement their leaders 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 one in five 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 be used for the final budget proposals which will go before Full Council in February. 

The consultation is available at www.shropshire.gov.uk/budget25 and runs until Sunday, January 26, 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 and at our Shropshire Local centres in Ludlow Shrewsbury and mobile services.