Shrewsbury Town Council set to vote on 94% precept increase to protect local services

Members of Shrewsbury Town Council’s Policy & Resources Committee have recommended support for proposals that would see the Town Council precept increase by 94.56% for the 2026/27 financial year, as part of plans to protect vital local services and maintain environmental standards across the town.

If approved by Full Council on Monday 26 January, the proposals would see a Band B property pay an additional £1.23 per household per week, reflecting the cost of taking on devolved street cleaning services such as street sweeping, litter picking and bin emptying, alongside strengthening the Council’s organisational capacity.

The decision follows extensive work by officers to assess the impact of the ongoing financial crisis at Shropshire Council, which has declared a financial emergency, applied for emergency Government support and warned of the potential need to issue a Section 114 notice.

In December, these pressures increased when Shropshire Council learned that their core government funding would decrease by £13 million over the next few years, placing further strain on already stretched local services. These pressures raise the prospect of further reductions to non-statutory services that residents and businesses rely on every day.

Speaking at the meeting, Leader of Shrewsbury Town Council, Councillor Rob Wilson, said:

“We are meeting at a time of exceptional challenge for local government. For residents, businesses and visitors to Shrewsbury, the consequences of further service reductions would be serious — not just for cleanliness, but for civic pride, the local economy and confidence in local government.”

He added: “This is not something we seek lightly, and it is not without risk. But there are also very real risks in doing nothing. If we stand still, I have no doubt that we will see further service reductions, declining environmental standards and a loss of local control.”

The proposals build on the success of the Town Council’s Stepping Up initiative and are informed by public consultation, which showed strong support for protecting services locally. In the consultation, 76% of respondents said they wanted to see services protected even if it costs more, with only 6% disagreeing.

The Committee also considered the wider implications of street cleaning service devolution, including the need to invest in additional staffing, customer service capacity, health and safety systems, accommodation and operational infrastructure to ensure services are delivered safely, legally and to the standard residents expect.

Councillor Wilson said: “This is about leadership, resilience and protecting Shrewsbury. We cannot eliminate all risk — but we can manage it. And in doing so, we can ensure that Shrewsbury remains a clean, well-run and confident place, whatever challenges lie ahead.”

The approved proposals will now be considered by Shrewsbury Town Council ward members at Full Council on Monday 26 January, where a final decision on the budget and precept for 2026/27 will be made.