Shropshire is being held to ransom for Levelling Up funds, says local leader

Shropshire’s Opposition Liberal Democrat Leader, Cllr David Vasmer, has objected strongly to the recent suggestion in a letter from Michael Gove that the County’s two unitary authorities, Shropshire and Telford & Wrekin, will only get Levelling Up funds if they enter into talks for a new 'combined authority model'.

Last week Shropshire Council said it was very disappointed that Levelling Up announcements did not include any specific announcements for investment in the county.

The leader of Telford & Wrekin Council, Shaun Davies, also expressed his bitter disappointment as the Government failed to allocate a single penny to the borough as part of its Levelling Up Fund.

Cllr Vasmer said: “The Government appears to be holding a gun to Shropshire’s head, we are being held to ransom. Either you enter into negotiations for a mayor to cover the entirety of the old County of Shropshire, or Mr Gove will not even consider us for any Levelling Up funds.

“We are told that the Government is in favour of giving power back to local communities but they are doing the very opposite. Here in Shropshire, we don’t want the Government in Westminster telling us how Shropshire or Telford should be run.

“We deserve fair consideration of our proposals for Levelling Up funds rather than being thrown into yet another debate about local government re-organisation just twelve years after all the district councils in Shropshire were abolished by a Conservative Government.

“This Government appears to be taking the people of Shropshire for granted.

“It must live up to the promises it made when it set up the Fairer Funding review in 2017. Despite its so-called commitment to give more money to underfunded rural areas like Shropshire, the council’s funding from central government has been cut back and cut back ever since.

“Shropshire people deserve better.

“In other parts of England, there has been agreement that the creation of a powerful mayor could be beneficial. There has been no such agreement in our county. Cornwall has been given devolved powers and finances without having to appoint a mayor.

“All political parties in Shropshire are agreed that the current arrangement of two unitary councils makes a lot of sense. Shropshire Council takes the lead in the more rural areas and Telford & Wrekin focuses on its more urban communities.

“There is no demand from residents for an overarching mayor that would take powers away from our existing councils. There is no demand from residents for merging the two councils.

“What residents and opposition councillors are demanding is that this county gets it rightful share of Levelling Up and other national funding.

“The Conservative administrations in Shropshire and nationally are failing Shropshire.

“The Conservatives should take heed from the Lib Dems recent by-election victory in North Shropshire. As discontent grows with the antics and distractions in Westminster, no Tory can now guarantee re-election.”