Shrewsbury Town Council formally agrees tax freeze
Shrewsbury Town Council has formally approved its decision not to increase council tax.
The council agreed a motion which means the average Band D household will pay £60.25 for the coming year.
The decision, which had been proposed earlier this month, was agreed at the council's full meeting on Monday night.
Council leader Alan Mosley said the budget still included proposals for significant progress in the town, despite not asking more of residents.
He said: "As always, our first priority is to best represent our residents, and many of them are suffering from the impact of Covid and the increasing impact of the rising cost of living crisis.
"Hence, we need to do all we can to mitigate these pressures, and this means that we should be setting a balanced budget with a zero rise in our charges to council tax payers. This is the budget I am proposing tonight with thanks to our head of resources.
"Good financial management, including healthy planned reserves, mean that we are able agree this budget and cover the significant additional costs related to general inflation, staff salaries, NI contributions and materials, without any cuts in services."
Councillor Mosley said the budget included plans for the town's Quarry park.
He said: "Our ambitious on-going programme for improving our services for all those who live, work and visit our town will continue. These plans include the top of the Quarry, including an extensive newly designed contemporary garden which will highlight and encourage the highest ecological environmental standards, information and interpretation of the Quarry’s heritage along with a refurbishment of the facilities at the horticultural depot. A working party is set to start work on this project."
The council is also planning a new nature trail along the river on its Castlewalk land from the English Bridge Gardens to the Weir, and on to the Mousefield.
Other plans include a new BMX track in Monkmoor, restoration of recreation grounds on Stanley Lane, improved play parks at Greenacres, Kynaston Road and Upton Lane, a programme of refurbishment for bus shelters throughout the town, and an extension of LED lights in the Quarry.
Councillor Mosley added: “Shrewsbury town councillors and staff can be proud of our record of progress and improved services in recent years and I’m sure residents will be delighted that we are responsive to their needs in what are difficult and worrying times for very many.”
