New Shropshire Council bosses want to 'reset' relationships with town and parish councils
Town and parish councils are to be asked what they think Shropshire Council should do better.
This summer, smaller councils will be asked how they want to see their partnership with the unitary authority improve, what their experience working with the authority has been like and what they feel must improve.
The call for information is expected to be led by Shropshire Council’s Transformation and Improvement Scrutiny Committee, subject to the committee’s agreement.
If backed, chair David Minnery will survey all partner councils throughout June and bring recommendations back to the cabinet later this year.
Shropshire Council said the survey will also investigate whether there are services run by the authority that town and parishes wish to take on or share and which could help cut costs.
The authority said this will help identify any changes that may require budget plans for this year or, for more complex decisions, that might need more time in the next financial year.
In May, the Liberal Democrat party seized control of Shropshire Council, winning 42 of the 74 seats. The council had been run by the Conservatives since 2009 when it became a unitary authority, but lost 30 seats in the latest local elections.
Heather Kidd has been appointed as council leader and set out the administration's "three key priorities" for its first 100 days in power.
These are to fix more potholes and improve the state of Shropshire's 3,200 miles of roads, improve customer services across the council, and to work "better and closer" with town and parish councils who the authority said could "help take on some services".
Councillor David Minnery said: "The role of Overview and Scrutiny at Shropshire Council is refocusing on what it should be doing, which is information gathering and evaluating on behalf of cabinet to enable sound, workable policy change to happen.
"I am delighted to be asked to undertake this important piece of work aimed at supporting the delivery of this major priority for the new council administration. Subject to agreement from my committee colleagues, I’m looking forward to working with the Shropshire Association of Local Councils and other partners to help bring this to fruition later in the year."
If approved, responses from town and parish councils will be sought by August before feedback and recommendations will be delivered in September.
Shropshire Council’s deputy leader with responsibility for communities, Councillor Alex Wagner, added: "One of the new council’s key commitments in our first 100 days is to start to reset how we work with town and parishes, who like us, work for the good of their communities.
"We have to rebuild trust. The first step will be to listen, put things right where we can and reset the relationship so we are all working together for the people we represent.
"This is not about just splitting costs, it’s about getting the best value for our residents by truly working together."
