Care for elderly key priority as Telford & Wrekin Council tackles budget challenge

This forecasted shortfall comes on top of the £77 million the council had already committed to the service this year.

Council bosses have doubled down on their commitment to protect and invest in the community’s most vulnerable residents, insisting they will not compromise on the quality of care despite the mounting financial pressure.

The forecast will be outlined in a financial monitoring report due before the Council’s Cabinet next week. The pressures within adult social care represent the most significant challenge to the authority’s finances, driven by the increasing demand for support for an ageing population.

Strong Financial Record Tested

Telford & Wrekin Council boasts a strong track record of financial management, having successfully delivered balanced budgets for over 16 years and achieving £181.7 million in savings over that period. This was achieved through measures like a 50% reduction in senior management staff and saving £2.3 million by disposing of council buildings.

However, even the council’s historically robust financial health is being strained by what it describes as a national social care funding crisis. Despite delivering more than £6 million in adult social care savings last year through innovation and hard work, the sheer volume and cost of care required is pushing budgets to the limit.

Councillor Zona Hannington, cabinet member for finance, governance and customer services, acknowledged the severity of the issue. “Last year through hard work and innovation we delivered savings across adult social care totalling £6 million. This work is continuing to ensure we are as efficient as possible but factors outside of our control, including the need to care for an ageing population with people living longer, continue to see the costs of care rise.”

She confirmed the Council's strategy to meet the forecasted £14 million requirement: “Due to our strong record of financial management over so many years, we will utilise contingency budgets and seek further in-year efficiencies to meet this cost with a view to delivering a balanced budget at year-end which is something we have achieved for the last 16 years.”

Vow to Protect Vulnerable Residents

Despite the financial pressures, council leaders have been clear that they cannot and will not compromise on the care elderly residents and the most vulnerable in the community deserve.

Councillor Kelly Middleton, cabinet member responsible for adult social care, stressed the human element of the challenge. “Our role as a Council is to care for our community and despite the rising costs, people must remember that we are talking about somebody’s mother, father or grandparents and they all deserve the right care and most appropriate care to meet their needs. We will continue to protect, care and invest whilst working hard to do what we can to manage budgets as effectively as possible.”

Councillor Middleton noted that demand has particularly increased this year for older people, those with dementia, and individuals requiring specialist support.

Leading the National Conversation

Telford’s experience reflects a nationwide crisis, with the Local Government Association reporting that the vast majority of councils are currently overspending and being forced to use their reserves to plug funding gaps. The Association of Directors of Adult Social Services (ADASS) stated that 80% of authorities overspent on adult social care in 2024-25—the highest level in over a decade.

As the 2025 LGC Council of the Year, council leaders have vowed to use their position to be a leading voice in the national debate, calling for a revised funding formula to tackle the well-documented systemic issue.

Councillor Hannington added: “We appreciate that the vast majority of councils may not have contingencies to turn to and are facing the reality of using all their reserves ahead of being effectively bankrupt and we will continue to speak with Government at a national level around revised funding formulas to tackle this well-documented national issue.”

The financial monitoring report will be presented at the Cabinet meeting on 6 November.