Conservative leader 'very nervous' for future of Much Wenlock Leisure Centre amid council's money worries

The council’s cabinet is being asked to declare a “financial emergency” when it meets on September 10. It’s after latest figures show that Shropshire Council is projecting an overspend of £35.169 million by the end of the 2025/26 financial year. That is £889,000 above the present financial resources it has.

Legally, this is not allowed, so unless immediate action is taken to balance the books, a section 114 notice will be served. A section 114 notice means the council cannot make new spending commitments and must meet within 21 days to discuss what to do next.   

The council has already announced that the short-term future of Cleobury Mortimer Sports & Fitness Centre is under threat with Teme Leisure ending its agreement following the removal of a £23,500 grant. It means that unless other options are found, the site will close to the public on December 3.

But it is not the only leisure facility in the county which is under threat.

Last March, the cabinet agreed to cut the authority’s £267,000 subsidy for Much Wenlock Leisure Centre next year.

The site is part of William Brookes School, which means the public cannot use it during school hours – which has limited the ability to increase usage of the facility.

The council wants to transfer the management for the centre to the 3-18 Educational Trust, which owns the site and runs the school.

Councillor Dan Thomas, leader of the Conservative Group in Shropshire and who represents Much Wenlock, provided an update at a town council meeting on Thursday (September 4).

“We’re still awaiting the outcome of the 3-18 Education Trust CIL (Community Infrastructure Levy) application regarding the leisure centre,” said Councillor Thomas.

“Originally, I was told they could only take half the money from CIL, however Shropshire Council said there was no money available for it to come from anywhere else due to the recent overspend which has happened.

“The trust has submitted a new application which they will apply for all of the CIL money available to take on the leisure centre. If they get the money, they will look to appoint external providers to take it on.

“I am really hoping we can get that forward and moved along before it gets too far away that the money has gone. But whether we can last the financial year, I don’t know. I am very nervous about it.”

Talking about the news that Shropshire Council is set to declare a financial emergency, Councillor Thomas said: “If you look at where a lot of the overspend was, that was under the previous administration as much as it’s been this one.

“There has been a bit of a jump in July. Both administrations have really struggled with this.

“When you look at the documents and where a lot of the overspend is, a lot is in social care and that’s a really tricky thing to cut.

“It all comes down to what legally you have to provide because if someone’s got round-the-clock care, that is statutory, whereas for respite dementia care, Shropshire Council may be doing more than is statutory there.

“If the Government’s inspectors come in and do the 114 notice, there won’t even be a debate. I think the benefit of declaring a financial emergency does bide a bit of time.”