Shrewsbury Town Council moves forward with 'Stepping Up' campaign

At a full meeting of Shrewsbury Town Council on Monday 27th January 2025, councillors reviewed over 1,000 responses to the recent public survey, which sought residents' opinions on proposed investments aimed at improving local services.

The survey, which launched on Friday 10th January, has provided valuable feedback on how the Town Council can best tackle key issues, including street cleanliness, safety, and environmental upkeep.

Alan Mosley, Leader of Shrewsbury Town Council, welcomed the strong public response, saying:

"We are delighted with the level of response and thank everyone who took the time to share their views. The results are overwhelming in providing clear support for the steps we are proposing to take to protect and enhance the appearance, cleanliness, and safety, particularly in the face of very significant cuts being imposed by Shropshire Council.

"It’s clear that Shrewsbury’s residents are passionate about preserving and improving their neighbourhoods, and we are committed to supporting the services they need. Our budget proposals received the support of a good majority. It’s good to see that some 95% want local people to make local decisions about what happens in Shrewsbury.”

Cleanliness was identified as an area for improvement in an open text poll, whilst over 50% of responders also felt that the town is dirty. The survey also highlighted areas of concern including the town centre, Pride Hill and Castle Foregate. Common problems identified were overflowing bins, litter and unswept pavements.

Despite these challenges, the survey showed overwhelming support for proposed improvements, with over 90% of respondents backing cleaner streets, regular bin collections, and enhanced street scene services. Over 80% of people also supported measures such as maintaining benches, tackling graffiti, and addressing fly-tipping.

The survey further highlighted that 93% of respondents supported Shrewsbury Town Council taking a greater role in ensuring safety measures across the town, with key initiatives such as CCTV, Park security, Taxi Marshalls, and improved lighting in the town centre all receiving strong support. Over 65% of people were also in favour of continuing the town’s floral features and planters, a key part of Shrewsbury’s visual identity.

Following these results, the Town Council is ‘Stepping Up’ with plans to strengthen Shrewsbury’s Street Scene services throughout the Town, with a particular focus on cleanliness, public safety, and community engagement. The findings will also be shared with Team Shrewsbury, the collaborative partnership working to address local issues and improve the town's environment.

The budget proposal also includes £230,000 that has been allocated following the visioning exercises which were confirmed in public consultations last year. Hence, significant developments in our green spaces, play parks, our heritage assets, footpath improvements, our youth strategy, maintaining CCTV within the town, etc. are planned.

Overall, the Town Council’s plans, will require an annual increase of £15 in council tax (equivalent to just 30p per week per household) for band B households which will fund these much-needed improvements, totalling £530,000 per year.

This additional revenue will help to establish a dedicated neighbourhood team, responsible for cleaning, maintenance, and enforcing activities in key areas. The proposal would require the recruitment of up to six full-time staff to meet the goals outlined by the Council.

Leader of Shrewsbury Town Council, Alan Mosley, added: "It’s clear from the responses that our residents want more action on the environmental maintenance and the street scene in the centre and in neighbourhoods throughout the town, which we are committed to delivering. We recognise the importance of these services to the quality of life in Shrewsbury and the role they play in shaping the town’s future. With this modest increase in council tax, we believe we can make a real difference and create a cleaner, greener, and safe town for everyone."

The Town Council will continue to engage with residents and partners to ensure that Shrewsbury remains a place everyone can be proud of.