Shrewsbury Labour councillors blast cost of living grant scheme

Costing £80,000 a year over three years, the money will be awarded to four or five local charities to help people who are facing financial difficulties.

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Full council approved the scheme last month, which contributed to the precept for 2026/27 increasing by 97.9 per cent. That will see a band B property pay £1.27 a week more.

At a Communities and Environment Committee meeting on Wednesday (February 4), town clerk, Helen Ball outlined the rationale behind the scheme and how the funding will be assessed.

However, Councillor Rosemary Dartnall (Lab, Column and Sutton), took exception to Ms Ball saying that the policy was put together “by batting ideas around.”

“That is not the correct way to spend £80,000,” said Cllr Dartnall.

“I am deeply distressed at this. This is the worst thing I have seen.

“It is no disrespect to officers, the clerk and deputy town clerk who have worked hard to put this together, but I really think it is not what we should be doing.

“We expressed our concerns about the rises, and the response was to add more to the precept. We should not be taking money from people in a ‘Robin Hood style’ manoeuvre.”

In response, Ms Ball said “it’s quite unfair to say that we have done it in a very unprofessional manner.”

“The decision has been taken by council to do this, so if this committee doesn’t want to do it, it needs to go back to full council to change that policy,” she said.

Ms Dartnall denied that she said that officers work unprofessionally.

“The council itself, as in the councillors, behaved unprofessionally in accepting a proposal to spend a quarter of million pounds with about six minutes discussion at the last council meeting,” said Cllr Dartnall.

“I find it hard to believe that anyone else would see it differently.”

Fellow Labour councillor, Alan Mosley said it would be “massively bureaucratic”.

“It’s gesture politics,” he said.

“This will not go any way in helping social deprivation and poverty.

“Isn’t it ironic that, on the same evening that we voted to increase the town council precept by doubling it, we come in with £80,000 to help people who can’t pay it, or will struggle to? It’s a bit sick, actually.

“This is not a good away of going about it – it’s wasteful and bureaucratic.”

However, Councillor Bernie Bentick (Lib Dem, Meole) said that a targeted fund towards cost of living “is well justified.”

“I am sure the four to five charities that are already operating in Shrewsbury will use their funds extremely well,” he said.

Councillor Jamie Daniels (Lib Dem, Abbey) added that the report “has a clear, staged process.”

“It’s not a hasty approach, it’s a cautious one,” he said.

The recommendations were approved, with the scheme being reviewed annually, including the charities that receive the money.

A sub-committee will also be set up.