Shifnal Town Council Precept

Last night (30th January 2026) I attended the monthly Shifnal Town Council meeting. A proposal was made to increase Shifnal Town Council’s precept to pay for devolved maintenance of (mainly) the Town centre.

The proposal was for a 16.71% increase in precept from £159.94 on a Band D property to £186.67.

For transparency, I voted against this proposal although it was a difficult decision. In principal I am in favour of devolved services: they are more democratic, more accountable and residents in Shifnal will see better services and upkeep of public spaces.

However at the time of the meeting, there were uncertainties over how much Shropshire would contribute, what the Town Council’s responsibilities would be, who would manage and run the local service and what the scope of that service would be.

Should a properly set out plan be provided to councillors I would in all likelihood vote to approve it, as although it would mean paying on average an extra £26 per year, we would, I believe, have better services than Shropshire Council are currently delivering. Secondly, the public survey indicated support for devolved services. It is likely that an updated motion will be put forward in February.

Precepts At Various Local Towns And Parishes

The following is a ranking of the town/parish council precepts (financial year 2025/26), now including Whitchurch Town Council (Shropshire). The order remains from best value for money (least expensive per taxpayer, based on the Band D equivalent council tax precept — the standard annual amount a typical Band D property pays to that specific council) to least value for money (most expensive per taxpayer).

Data is sourced from Shropshire Council’s official “Your Guide To Your Council Tax Bill 2025 to 2026” document (and cross-referenced with council announcements). Populations are approximate from the 2021 census (parish/town level). Note: Some Band D figures are exact from the guide; others are estimates where not explicitly listed in summaries but consistent with tax base calculations.

Rank	Council	Precept (2025/26)	Band D equivalent	Approx. population (2021 census)	Notes
1	Shrewsbury Town Council	£2,389,594	£87.04	~76,000	Lowest Band D cost – large tax base spreads costs widely
2	Albrighton & Donington	£261,374	£112.05	~7,000–8,000	Merger from April 2025; good value for a mid-sized area
3	Market Drayton Town Council	£585,214	£136.02	~11,000–12,000	Mid-range; services include parks, events, and town maintenance
4	Newport Town Council	~£650,000–£670,000	£148.11	~14,000	Under Telford & Wrekin Council (not Shropshire)
5	Whitchurch Town Council	£592,276	£160.20	~10,000	Slightly higher Band D than Shifnal despite similar precept (comparable tax base)
6	Shifnal Town Council	£577,399	£159.94	~9,000	Close to Whitchurch; higher per taxpayer due to smaller base
7	Ludlow Town Council	£946,000	~£218–£220 (est.; some sources note higher adjustments)	~10,000	Among the highest Band D; extensive town services
8	Worfield & Rudge Parish Council	£35,000	£36.86	~1,800–2,000	Very low Band D – small rural parish with basic services
9	Tong Parish Council	~£4,000–£6,000	~£38–£39 (e.g., £38.46 listed)	~250–300	Cheapest per Band D; tiny rural parish, minimal services

Key points

• Shrewsbury continues to offer the best value per taxpayer due to its much larger population and tax base, diluting the precept cost.
• Whitchurch slots in near the middle-to-higher end — its Band D (£160.20) is very close to Shifnal’s, reflecting a similar town size and precept level but with a slightly larger tax base.
• Small rural parishes like Worfield and Tong are the least expensive per taxpayer but provide very limited services (e.g., basic maintenance, grants) compared to the towns.
• Ludlow remains the most expensive per Band D taxpayer among these, likely due to broader town responsibilities.
• Band D equivalents are the best “per taxpayer” measure, as they standardise costs across property bands (most bills are adjusted proportionally).
• For 2026/27 (current as of late Jan 2026), some councils (including Whitchurch) have approved increases — e.g., Whitchurch up ~4.8% to ~£167.92 Band D — which would shift rankings slightly higher for those affected, but the table above reflects the 2025/26 figures for consistency.

NB. If the Town Council had agreed the planned increase in its precept it would have become more expensive still than Whitchurch.

For a Band D property in Shifnal (Shropshire Council area, financial year 2025/26):

• The Shropshire Council portion (including the adult social care precept) is £1,806.67 per year. This is the core unitary authority charge that all Shropshire residents pay, before adding parish/town, police, and fire elements. It increased by 4.99% from the previous year (£1,720.80 in 2024/25).
• The full total council tax for a Band D property in Shifnal is £2,377.56 per year. This includes:
  • Shropshire Council: £1,806.67
  • West Mercia Police & Crime Commissioner: £291.50
  • Shropshire & Wrekin Fire & Rescue Authority: £119.45
  • Shifnal Town Council precept: £159.94 (the town-specific addition)

A 4.9% increase on that Shropshire Council Band D amount would be:

• 4.9% of £1,806.67 = £88.53 (calculated as £1,806.67 × 0.049).
• This would make the new Shropshire Council portion £1,895.20 (original £1,806.67 + £88.53 more).

The town precept (£159.94 for Shifnal) is separate and set by Shifnal Town Council, so any change there would add/subtract differently.

For the most precise bill (e.g., if your property has discounts, exemptions, or is in a slightly different area), check Shropshire Council’s online council tax lookup tool or your bill directly.