RESOLVED

3.1 To approve the proposal to cease the operation by the Council of the Schools Library Service but before closing the Service altogether, delegate to the Director of Children’s Services, in consultation with the Portfolio Holder for Children and Education, the implementation of an engagement process to ascertain the viability of the service being maintained by a Multi-Academy Trust, Federation, town or parish council, or other third-party organisation. Should that engagement be unsuccessful in identifying a viable interest in operating the Service, it will be closed.

RESOLVED

In accordance with the provisions of schedule 12A of the Local Government Act 1972 and Paragraph 10.4 [3] of the Council’s Access to Information Rules, that public and press be excluded from the meeting during consideration of the following item

RESOLVED

To approve minutes of last meetings.

RESOLVED

A. To agree the Infrastructure Funding Statement - Appendix 1 to this report – for publication before the end of 2025  

B. To delegate responsibility to the Service Director – Legal, Governance and Planning, in consultation with the Portfolio Holder for Planning and Regulatory Services, to agree, if necessary, amendments to the Infrastructure Funding Statement before its publication. 

RESOLVED

3.1 To review, comment on, and recommend the draft Improvement Plan (Appendix 1) to Council.  

3.2 To recommend to Council the governance arrangements set out in the Plan.  

3.3 To recommend to Council that the capacity and resources to support the delivery of transformation required through this plan will be aligned to the MTFS. 

RESOLVED

3.1 To review, comment on, and recommend to full Council the approval of the draft People Plan (Appendix 1).  

3.2 To agree the governance arrangements, the aims and values, set out in the Plan. 

3.3 To agree the capacity and resources necessary to support the delivery of organisational change and development, as outlined in this plan, are aligned with the Medium Term Financial Strategy (MTFS) to ensure effective and sustainable implementation 

RESOLVED

a. To consider the Fees and Charges Policy attached at Appendix 1  

b. To recommend to Council the approval and adoption of the Fees and Charges Policy for 2026/27 and incorporation into the Medium-Term Financial Strategy and budget setting process in February 2026. 

RESOLVED

3.1 That Cabinet acknowledge the content of the reports attached and the positive impact and outcomes that services are achieving for children and young people.  

3.2 That Cabinet acknowledge the breadth of statutory requirements being successfully delivered and achieving good outcomes for the children and young people in Shropshire.  

3.3 Where Cabinet wish to influence progress and development opportunities this can be incorporated into the plans of the Ambitions Board which will be driving forward the services continuous improvement plan.  

3.4 That Cabinet recommend to Council that it receive the Annual Report and resolve that Childrens Safeguarding training becomes a mandatory requirement for all elected Members in order that they are well equipped to fulfil their role as corporate parents. 

RESOLVED

3.1 To approve the Shropshire All-Age Autism Strategy 2025-2030  

3.2 To endorse the development of an All-Age Autism Strategy delivery plan to embed the recommendations included and inform policy overseen by the Service Director for Commissioning in consultation with the Portfolio holder for social care.  

3.3 To review progress and implementation at People Scrutiny in 12 months, December 2026  

3.4 To commit Shropshire Council to be a neuroinclusive employer 

RESOLVED

A. To ensure actions taken by officers under the declared Financial Emergency are focussed to ensure all spending and income generation over the remainder of the financial year is scrutinised to actively improve the Council’s projected year end position. Action must predominantly focus on reducing spend, increasing income, delivering remaining savings and mitigating in-year spending pressures.  

B. To support the continued use of Operations Boards, which have been in place from August 2025, to challenge all in-year spending, and more recently have been further enhanced to bring greater Service Director scrutiny. The impact of these boards will continue to inform future Finance Monitoring reports.  

C. To consider the projected spend over budget at Period 7 of £50.746m.  

D. To consider the indicative level of savings delivery at Period 7 of £20.917m (34.94%).  

E. To support the proposal for a minimum value of £5m for the General Fund Balance and the ringfencing of a Contingency Fund of £5.478m.  

F. To support the proposed application for Exceptional Financial Support of £71.361m made up of £21.466m for revenue monitoring pressures, up to £10m for transformation activity and up to £38.895m for NWRR write off costs (should this be necessary). The decision on the final application will be made by the s151 Officer in consultation with the Portfolio Holder for Finance. 

RESOLVED

3.1. To note the summary of the wider economic environment and the Council’s borrowings and investments set out in Appendix A.  

3.2. To note the performance within prudential indicators for quarter 2, 2025/26 (Appendix B) 

RESOLVED

3.1. To agree the Treasury Strategy activity as set out in the report. 

RESOLVED

To agree and recommend to full Council:  

3.1 To approve, in accordance with the Local Authorities (Calculation of Tax Base) (England) Regulations 2012, the amount calculated by Shropshire Council as it’s Council Tax taxbase for the year 2026/27, as detailed in Appendix A, totalling 121,852.37 Band D equivalents.  

3.2 To note the changes to the Council’s localised Council Tax Support (CTS) scheme in 2026/27. The scheme is attached at Appendix B.  

3.3 To note the Council Tax Support Scheme amendments detailed in Appendix B have no impact on the taxbase determination.  

3.4 To note the exclusion of 7,950.74 Band D equivalents from the taxbase calculation as a result of localised Council Tax Support.  

3.5 To note continuation of the discretionary Council Tax discount policy to not award a discount in respect of vacant dwellings undergoing major repair, i.e. former Class A exempt properties.  

3.6 To note continuation of the discretionary Council Tax discount policy in respect of vacant dwellings, i.e. former Class C exempt properties, of 100% for one month i.e. effectively reinstating the exemption and the resulting exclusion of 243.34 band D equivalents from the taxbase calculation. Cabinet 3rd December 2025 – Setting the Council Tax Taxbase 2026/27 Contact: james.walton@shropshire.gov.uk 3  

3.7 To note continuation of the “six week rule” in respect of vacant dwellings, i.e. former Class C exempt properties.  

3.8 To note continuation of the discretionary Council Tax discount policy to levy a Council Tax premium of 100% in relation to dwellings which have been unoccupied and substantially unfurnished for more than one year (but less than five years) and the resulting inclusion of an additional 859.89 Band D equivalents in the taxbase calculation.  

3.9 To note continuation of the discretionary Council Tax discount policy to levy a Council Tax premium of 200% in relation to dwellings which have been unoccupied and substantially unfurnished for more than five years (but less than ten years) and the resulting inclusion of an additional 194.22 Band D equivalents in the taxbase calculation.  

3.10 To note continuation of the discretionary Council Tax discount policy to levy a Council Tax premium of 300% in relation to dwellings which have been unoccupied and substantially unfurnished for more than ten years and the resulting inclusion of an additional 202.66 Band D equivalents in the taxbase calculation.  

3.11 To note the continuation of the discretionary Council Tax discount policy to levy a Council Tax premium of 100% in relation to second homes (other than those that retain a 50% discount through regulation as a result of job related protection) and the resulting inclusion of an additional 1,390.00 Band D equivalents in the taxbase calculation.  

3.12 To approve a collection rate for the year 2026/27 of 98.0%.  

3.13 That the Council Tax Support policy and other similar Council Tax and Business Rate policies are reviewed and consulted upon, where necessary, over 2026 with a view to implementing any revisions by Financial Year 2027/28 at the latest.