At a recent meeting of Shrewsbury Town Council’s Finance & General Purposes Committee, members considered Shropshire Council’s public consultation for its proposed budget for 2018/19.
With a number of areas discussed at the meeting, members have raised issues with the unitary authority to ensure that the implementation of their proposals will not have a significant negative impact on the residents of the town.
Whilst the Town Council has stated that it understands the current financial position of Shropshire Council, members have expressed concerns that the proposed budget will have significant detrimental consequences not just for current services but also for the public purse in the future.
This includes the proposed changes to the Council Tax Support Grant, which has the potential to force more people into poverty by substantially reducing their disposable income.
Shrewsbury Town Council submitted its concerns over proposed parking charges in last year’s dedicated consultation. Whilst there have been some amendments to the original proposals, the Town Council feels that the increase in parking charges will deter people from using the town centre. With the business community already struggling with other external issues, members feel that the increases in parking charges and lower visitor numbers are likely to discourage future commercial development in Shrewsbury. Higher charges will also encourage people to seek free parking in many overburdened residential areas around the Town
Councillors have also expressed concerns about the proposed reductions in Shropshire Council’s Highways budget, which has the potential to impact on street cleansing, general maintenance and resurfacing schemes, including pothole repairs, as well new highway improvements.
In addition, there is great concern about proposals to reduce the waste contract by £1.5m and the potential for residents to be forced to pay for some services. Any imposition of charges for ‘green waste’ could lead to problems for many residents and substantial increases in the amount of fly tipping in Shrewsbury with the inevitable increase in costs for disposal and enforcement.
Members acknowledge the rationale for purchasing the Shopping Centres while being only too aware of the extent of the opposition to the purchase and the potential pitfalls. The Town Council has expressed its desire to work with Shropshire Council and other stakeholders with a view to ensuring that Shrewsbury’s future vitality and viability is maintained for the benefit of residents and visitors alike.
Councillor Alan Mosley, Leader of Shrewsbury Town Council, said: “A combination of on-going cuts in Shropshire Council’s funding from the Conservative Government and a rising demand for many of its services is resulting in a funding crisis. Shrewsbury residents and others throughout the county are suffering. I am delighted that the Labour-led Shrewsbury Town Council is speaking out in opposition to current policy while seeking to mitigate some of the impacts of the swingeing cutbacks, for example in protecting vital services for youth work in our town.”