Shrewsbury Town Council signs Memorandum of Understanding with Shropshire Council

Shrewsbury Town Council has formally signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Shropshire Council, marking a significant step forward in strengthening partnership working and exploring new opportunities for local service delivery.

The agreement sets out a shared commitment to work collaboratively to improve services, deliver efficiencies, and ensure that local decisions are made closer to the communities they affect. The MoU provides a framework for devolving or delegating certain services to the Town Council, allowing for greater flexibility and locally tailored approaches.

Building on the Town Council’s extensive experience since local government reorganisation in 2009—including the development of service level agreements and the management of key assets such as horticultural and countryside land—the new arrangement recognises the value of trust, autonomy, and mutual accountability in shaping services for the people of Shrewsbury.

Rob Wilson, Leader of Shrewsbury Town Council, said:

“This agreement is an important milestone for Shrewsbury. It demonstrates our shared ambition with Shropshire Council to deliver high-quality, locally responsive services for our residents. We believe in genuine partnership—one that empowers the Town Council to shape services that reflect the unique needs of our community, while ensuring transparency and accountability throughout the process.”

The Memorandum outlines an initial focus on street cleaning initiatives as part of a pilot programme, with the potential to expand into wider service areas in future. Both councils have agreed to maintain dedicated project management capacity to support delivery, and to establish clear communication channels for decision-making.

Alex Wagner, Deputy Leader of Shropshire Council, added:

“We welcome this framework as a constructive step towards more effective local governance. Collaboration, mutual trust, and timely decision-making will be key to ensuring that the outcomes truly benefit our collective residents.”

The signing of the Memorandum of Understanding reflects Shrewsbury Town Council’s ongoing commitment to innovation, partnership, and community-led service delivery.