Apologies for absence were received from Councillors Tom Dainty, Harry Hancock-Davies and Chris Naylor 

Members are reminded that they must declare their disclosable pecuniary interests and other registrable or non-registrable interests in any matter being considered at the meeting as set out in Appendix B of the Members’ Code of Conduct and consider if they should leave the room prior to the item being considered. Further advice can be sought from the Monitoring Officer in advance of the meeting.

Members were reminded that they must not participate in the discussion or voting on any matter in which they have a Disclosable Pecuniary Interest and should leave the room prior to the commencement of the debate.

To approve as a correct record the minutes of the previous meeting held on 22 May 2025

RESOLVED:

That the Minutes of the meeting held on 22 May 2025, as circulated with the agenda papers, be approved and signed as a correct record.

To receive such communications as the Chairman, Leader and Head of Paid Service may desire to lay before the Council.

Chairman’s Engagements

The Chairman referred Members to the list of official engagements carried out by himself and the Vice Chairman since the last meeting of the Council on 22 May 2025, which had been circulated at the meeting.

Birthday Honours

The Chairman congratulated all those awarded honours in the 2025 Birthday Honours List 

To receive any questions from the public, notice of which has been given in accordance with Procedure Rule 14. Deadline for notification is 12.00 noon on Friday 11 July 2025

The Chairman advised that public questions had been received from Andrew Sceats, Tamarin Bibow and John Palmer. A copy of the questions and the responses provided are available from the web page for the meeting

Responses to Public Questions.pdf

To receive any questions from Members, notice of which has been given in accordance with Procedure Rule 15.2.  Deadline for notification is 12.00 noon on Friday 11 July 2025

The Speaker advised that the following questions had been received in accordance with Procedure Rule 15.

Question from Councillor Susan Coleman regarding the Connect on Demand Service.  By way of supplementary question Councillor Coleman asked what the Administration was doing to push for the additional funding required.  The Portfolio Holder assured her that they would continue to lobby the county’s MPs to push for more revenue funding from the government whenever they're able to.

Question from Councillor Brendan Mallon regarding safety around the installation of battery energy storage systems.  By way if supplementary question Councillor Mallon asked What is the liability on the Council, given that we do not have robust set of requirements and standards to work to.  The Portfolio Holder assured Councillor Mallon that safety matters were fully considered during the planning process but that Officers would consider the points that he had raised.

Question from Councillor Carl Rowley regarding expenditure on the North West Relief Road.  There was no supplementary question

Report of the Executive Director, Resources is attached

Contact:  James Walton.  Tel. 01743 258915

It was proposed by Councillor Roger Evans, Portfolio Holder for Finance and seconded by Councillor Sho Abdul, that the report of the Executive Director Resources, and the recommendations contained therein, be received and agreed.

RESOLVED:

In respect of the revenue budget:

a)    Note that the outturn for overall variance in the year is £34.230m above budget.

b)    Note that the consequent level of the General Fund Balance is £4.823m

c)    Note the use of £7.726m of Earmarked Reserves and Provisions and the resulting level of earmarked reserves of £25.455m (£18.762m if the balances held by schools are excluded).

d)    Note the £47.194m savings delivery achieved over the year

e)    Note that the combination of earmarked and un-earmarked (General) reserves of £33.275m is below a level that would be regarded as appropriate, taking into account local circumstances. The MTFS sets out an agreed plan to restore these balances to safer levels.

In respect of ringfenced funding:

f)      Note the performance of the Housing Revenue Account (HRA) - £3.124m (13%) surplus outturn for 2024/25 on £23.054m turnover, and the resulting level of the HRA reserve of £14.861m.

g)    Note the outturn for the DSG and the consequent level of the DSG reserve.

h)    Note that the level of school balances has decreased by £0.647m, from £7.340m in 2023/24 to £6.693m, in the financial year

In respect of the capital programme:

i)      Approve the net budget variations of £1.946m to the 2024/25 capital programme (in Appendix 9) and the re-profiled 2024/25 capital budget of £112.640m.

j)      Approve the re-profiled capital budgets of £152.574m for 2025/26, including slippage of £4.819m from 2024/25, £72.350m for 2026/27 and £45.212m for 2027/28 as detailed in Appendix 13.

k)    Accept the outturn expenditure set out in Appendices 10 and 11 of £107.820m representing 95.7% of the revised capital budget for 2024/25.

l)      Approve retaining a balance of capital receipts set aside of £24.432m as at 31st March 2025 to generate a one-off Minimum Revenue Provision saving of £0.222m in 2025/26

Report of the Executive Director, Resources is attached

Contact:  James Walton.  Tel. 01743 258915

It was proposed by Councillor Roger Evans, Portfolio Holder for Finance and seconded by Councillor Sho Abdul, that the report of the Executive Director Resources, and the recommendations contained therein, be received and agreed.

RESOLVED: 

That Council

3.1. Approve the actual 2024/25 prudential and treasury indicators contained in the report.

3.2. Note the annual treasury management report for 2024/25

Report of the Executive Director, Resources is attached

Contact:  James Walton.  Tel. 01743 258915

It was proposed by Councillor Duncan Kerr, Chair of the Audit Committee and seconded by Councillor Kate Halliday, that the report of the Executive Director Resources, and the recommendations contained therein, be received and agreed.

RESOLVED: 

That Council

.

1.    Accept the contents and judgements in this report

2.    Agree to change the name of the Committee to that of the Audit and Governance Committee

3.    Agree that the membership of the Committee be increased so that it comprises nine councillors, and one Independent non-voting person.

4.    Agree to appoint the additional four Councillors in accordance with the requirements of political balance.

Report of the Service Director – Legal, Governance and Planning is attached

Contact Tim Collard Tel 01743 252756

It was proposed by the Leader Councillor Heather Kidd and seconded by Councillor James Owen, Portfolio Holder for Housing and Leisure that the report of the Service Director – Legal, Governance and Planning, and the recommendations contained therein, be received and agreed.

By way of amendment Councillor Duncan Kerr proposed that the committee did not allow substitute members.  This was seconded by Councillor Kate Halliday.  On taking a vote the amendment was not supported

RESOLVED:

1.    That Council approves the change of name of the Audit Committee to the Audit and Governance Committee and an increase it is membership from five to nine members. 

2.    That the Council confirms the constitution of committees and the allocation of seats to each of the political groups for the remainder of the 2025/26 municipal year and the allocation of seats between the political groups, as set out in Appendix 1. 

3.    That the leaders of the Liberal Democrat, Reform UK and Conservative groups notify officers which members will take up the additional Audit Committee seats available to their group. 

The Report of the Assistant Director of Transformation and Efficiency is TO FOLLOW

Contact: Billy Webster (billy.webster@shropshire.gov.uk)

It was proposed by the Councillor Rob Wilson, Portfolio Holder for Transport and Economic Growth and seconded by Councillor Alex Wagner, Deputy Leader and Portfolio Holder for Communities that the report of the Assistant Director – Transformation and Efficiency, and the recommendations contained therein, be received and agreed.

The Portfolio Holder for Transport and Economic Growth stated that he wished to add an additional recommendation: -

3.3   The council will not utilise biomass from household green waste or food waste unless this is explicitly approved by the Service Director for Strategy in consultation with the Portfolio Holder for Transport & Economic Growth. 

RESOLVED:

1.    That Council approve an increase in budget of the pyrolysis project by around £1.3m from £2m as outlined in the council paper, approved by full Council on 21st September 2023,to £3.3 million.

2.    That Council delegate authority to the Service Director Strategy in consultation with the Portfolio Holder for Transport and Economic Growth, to negotiate and agree the terms of any and all agreements necessary for the implementation and ongoing operation of the project.

3.    That the Council will not utilise biomass from household green waste or food waste unless this is explicitly approved by the Service Director for Strategy in consultation with the Portfolio Holder for Transport & Economic Growth. 

The Report of the Assistant Director of Transformation and Efficiency is attached.

Contact: Billy Webster (billy.webster@shropshire.gov.uk)

It was proposed by the Leader Councillor Heather Kidd and seconded by Councillor Ruth Houghton, Portfolio Holder for Social Care that the report of the Assistant Director – Transformation and Efficiency, and the recommendations contained therein, be received and agreed.

RESOLVED:

That Council

1.    Agree to approve and publish the Safe Accommodation Strategy 2025 as set out in Appendix 2

2.    Agrees this document will be incorporated into a partnership-wide domestic abuse strategy, with clearly defined actions to address the recommendations set out in the 2024 Needs Assessment

Report of the Service Director – Legal, Governance and Planning is TO FOLLOW

Contact Tim Collard Tel 01743 252756

It was proposed by the Councillor David Walker, Portfolio Holder for Planning and seconded by Councillor Ben Jephcott that the report of the Service Director – Legal, Governance and Planning, and the recommendations contained therein, be received and agreed.

By way of amendment Councillor Rachel Connolly proposed that the following be added to the recommendations:

In the light of the additional risk of speculative development, coupled with the large number of new councillors, council asks for urgent advice and guidance for all councillors on how to best represent residents concerns and demands as large scale planning applications are mooted, received and processed, with a view to helping both members and officers to get the best outcomes possible for existing residents and our environment.?

Councillor Walker indicated that he would accept the amendment

RESOLVED:

1.    That Council agrees the withdrawal of the draft Local Plan (2016-2038) from the Examination in accordance with Section 27 of the Town and Country Planning (Local Planning) (England) Regulations 2012.

2.    That in the light of the additional risk of speculative development, coupled with the large number of new councillors, council asks for urgent advice and guidance for all councillors on how to best represent residents concerns and demands as large scale planning applications are mooted, received and processed, with a view to helping both members and officers to get the best outcomes possible for existing residents and our environment

Report of the Service Director – Legal, Governance and Planning is attached

Contact Tim Collard Tel 01743 252756

It was proposed by Councillor Alex Wagner, Deputy Leader and Portfolio Holder for Communities and seconded by the Leader Councillor Heather Kidd that the report of the Service Director – Legal, Governance and Planning, and the recommendations contained therein, be received and agreed.

RESOLVED:

That Council

a.    Note the agreed appointments as attached at Appendix 1 & 2.  

b.    Note that Councillor Heather Kidd has replaced Councillor Roger Evans on the Local Government Association General Assembly and Councillor Dawn Husemann has been appointed to the vacancies on the Local Government Association General Assembly and the County Council Network Council. 

Report of the Service Director – Legal, Governance and Planning is TO FOLLOW

Contact Tim Collard Tel 01743 252756

It was proposed by the Leader Councillor Heather Kidd and seconded by Councillor Alex Wagner, Deputy Leader and Portfolio Holder for Communities that the report of the Service Director – Legal, Governance and Planning, and the recommendations contained therein, be received and agreed.

RESOLVED:

1.    That Council approve the payment of allowances for up to 10 Deputy Portfolio

Holders and that the Member Allowances Scheme in Part 6 of the Constitution be

amended accordingly.

2.    That the Monitoring Officer seeks to identify members for appointment to the

Independent Remuneration Panel at a future meeting of the Council so a

comprehensive review of the scheme of members allowances can be undertaken

Report of the Pensions Investment and Responsible Investment Manager is TO FOLLOW

Contact Peter Chadderton.  Tel.  07990 086399

It was proposed by Councillor Gary Groves, Chairman, Pensions Committee and seconded by Councillor Roger Evans, Portfolio Holder for Finance that the report of the Pensions Investment and Responsible Investment Manager, and the recommendations contained therein, be received and agreed.

RESOLVED:

That the Responsibility for Functions, set out in Part 3 of the Constitution and the Scheme of Delegations, set out in Part 8 of the Constitution be updated to allow either the Section 151 Officer or LGPS Senior Officer to represent Shropshire County Pension Fund at the LGPS Central Shareholders Forum and vote on behalf of the Fund in the absence of the Chair of the Pensions Committee.

It was proposed by the Chairman Councillor Duncan Borrowman and seconded by the Vice Chairman Councillor Gary Groves that the amendments to committee membership as set out in the agenda papers be agreed.

RESOLVED:

That the amendments to committee membership as set out in the agenda papers be agreed.

The following motions have been received in accordance with Procedure Rule 16:

The following motion was received from Councillor Ed Potter and supported by the Conservative Group

We all know that litter blights our roadside verges. This includes an increasing number of disused and broken temporary road signs which have been left behind and often over time lost in the undergrowth along our verges and roadside. In the Loton division this is a particular problem along the A5 and A458 as well as the more rural side roads. Once the growing season starts these signs often get covered by the vegetation and then are subsequently damaged by the hedge cutters which cut the verges. It would make sense when there are road closures on these busy roads that these disused highways signs, sandbags and traffic cones are removed. On the more minor roads and on traffic islands these could be collected by highways contractors whilst going about their daily routines and deposited back at highways depots for reuse or recycling. It is important to our

residents that we all take civic pride in where we live and these simple actions of removing these discarded items will make a big difference.

1.    Request that Shropshire Council Highways adopt a policy instructing all Highways works teams and contractors including utility companies who are permitted to work on the Highway remove disused and broken signs left behind by previous work schemes

2.    Ask the Chief Executive to write to the Chief Executive of National Highways to request their work teams and contractors operating in Shropshire adopt the same approach.

RESOLVED:

That Council

1.    Request that Shropshire Council Highways adopt a policy instructing all Highways works teams and contractors including utility companies who are permitted to work on the Highway remove disused and broken signs left behind by previous work schemes

2.    Ask the Chief Executive to write to the Chief Executive of National Highways to request their work teams and contractors operating in Shropshire adopt the same approach.

Motion received form Councillor Julian Dean and supported by the Green & Progressive Independent Group

Planning for a better Shropshire

Shropshire Council recognises the need:

·       to deliver the right homes, at the right price, in the right places to address the housing affordability crisis

·       to provide clean energy infrastructure to support the UK’s future energy needs

·       to rapidly deliver projects that will help our natural environment to recover such that the UK is no longer one of the most nature depleted countries in the world.

We believe these aims can all be delivered alongside robust local decision making given the right mix of regulation and funding.

Council notes:

·       Revisions to the ‘standard method’ for calculating housing targets - which has increased the housing target for Shropshire from 1070 to 1994 - but with no target for social or affordable homes, and no significant change to viability assessments which result in affordable homes schemes being scrapped or reduced. The adopted ‘stock based’ Standard Method fails to properly assess this area’s housing need or reflect the ability to grow and  ...  view the full minutes text for item 33.