Shrewsbury Town Council has approved its budget for the 2011/12 Financial Year and has pledged to continue to provide value for money services for residents within the town.
Members set the budget at a meeting held on Monday [24/01/11].
At the time the Town Council was set up, in April 2009, the outgoing Borough and County Councils were keen to ensure that the Town Council could be established as a strong local council, able to provide the services the community expected from it and to be a strong advocate for its residents, community groups and businesses.
The funding for the Town Council was such that the running cost would not be borne directly by the Shrewsbury ratepayers and agreed reducing subsidies over a 10 year period from Shropshire Council would support the Town Council in its early years.
The 2011/12 £2,978,545 budget will be part-funded by the ratepayer and a precept of £871,714 will equate to the average Band D household paying £36.77 per year to the Town Council (about 70 pence per week).
Helen Ball, Town Clerk said members had acknowledged the challenging times facing the country and every effort had been made not to over-burden the tax payers of Shrewsbury.
Mrs Ball said: “In these difficult times, which are being experienced the length and breadth of the country, the Town Council’s primary focus has been to maintain high quality services that really matter to our residents, such as safe and well maintained children’s play areas, sports facilities, grass cutting, bus shelters and toilets. We must be in a position to play our part in the new Government Agenda of Localism and be able to respond to the needs of our residents.
“Our Council Tax precept for 2011/12 provides value for money in comparison to neighbouring Shropshire Town Councils, many of which levy an average household rate upwards of £100 per year.”
Shrewsbury Town Council provides a range of services and facilities including:
The Quarry and Dingle
Children’s play areas
Sports facilities
Allotments
Pocket parks across the town
Quality planting in flower beds, planters, hanging baskets and planters on streetlights
Christmas lighting displays and events
Locally, the Town Council is committed to supporting community based initiatives and the Mayor of Shrewsbury remains one of the busiest Mayor’s in the county attending and promoting many community groups and organisations’ activities throughout the year.
The Council works hard to promote the town as a key location to live, work and visit and will continue to drive forward key initiatives throughout the next 12 months, and beyond, to boost the local economy.
The Town Council was also the driving force behind Shrewsbury’s long-awaited return to the Heart of England in Bloom competition last year, for which the town received a Gold Award, and it is already preparing for the 2011 Bloom campaign.