Telford & Wrekin Council budget approved for next two years

The budget was rubber stamped by a majority vote at the Full Council meeting after a month of public consultation which resulted in more than 4,000 responses from the public.

The council tax increase includes the 2 per cent to support adult social care that the Government has already assumed that councils like Telford & Wrekin will make.

The 3.2 per cent increase will add 55p a week for the borough average Band B property for the council element of next year’s council tax bill.

Councillor Lee Carter, Telford & Wrekin Council’s cabinet member for Finance and Service Delivery, said: “I have said from the start of the consultation that we have been heartened by the level of understanding that the public have shown.

“They know we need to make cuts and they understand the reasons why and they also understand that this time those cuts have had to affect frontline services.

“However, every challenge presents an opportunity and we have worked hard to come up with partnership solutions to ensure some under-threat services can continue, libraries being a prime example.

“It is significant that more than 60 per cent of respondents to our budget consultation preferred to increase Council Tax by at least 1.2 per cent above the Government’s 2 per cent assumed increase for adult social care.

“I would like to say a big thank you to everyone who has been involved and supported this very difficult budget process in so many different ways.”

Subject to there being no changes in the Government’s funding policy, the Council will apply this increase annually for the next four years.

Last night’s meeting also backed the Council’s programme of cuts, which was revised following consultation.

This will help the Council deal with continuing cuts in Government grant, which next year alone will reduce by 20 per cent.