As your local Conservative representative for Shifnal South on both the Town and County Councils, and as a fellow resident of our town, I wanted to provide a comprehensive update on several pressing matters affecting us locally and across Shropshire.
Local Matters in Shifnal
Tackling Grass Maintenance and Weeds I know many of you are frustrated with the state of our green spaces. At my recent Shifnal Town Council Surgery on July 11th, the most frequent complaints were regarding overgrown grass and weeds. I have already raised this as an urgent matter with council officers and have demanded a clear schedule of work to bring our town back up to standard. I am still awaiting their response, but I will not let this rest.
Safety Concerns: Aston Street Derelict Property Public safety is paramount. I have received numerous reports from residents regarding a derelict property on Aston Street that has deteriorated significantly. There are worrying reports of children entering the building through holes in the structure. I am pushing for immediate action to secure this site before a serious accident occurs.
Park Lane Road Closure Please be aware that Park Lane will be closed from August 17th to August 21st, 2026. This is necessary to allow for the repair of a collapsed foul pipe. Traffic management will be in place, so please plan your journeys accordingly.
Shifnal Station Step-Free Access Accessibility at our railway station remains a top priority. While Network Rail has acknowledged the problems, they have stated they currently lack committed funding for the necessary construction works. However, following the DfT’s Accessibility Roadmap, they are discussing prioritizing Shifnal when funding becomes available. I will continue to work with Mark Pritchard MP to keep this on the agenda.
Shropshire Council: The Road to Financial Recovery?
This Thursday, July 16th, I will be attending the Full Council meeting at the Guildhall in Shrewsbury. I will be speaking specifically on the finance agenda items, which are critical to the future of our county.
The 2025/26 Financial Outturn The report we are considering shows a significant adverse variation of £49.428 million above the General Fund budget for the last financial year. This overspend was largely driven by unprecedented demand in Care & Wellbeing (up 19%) and Children & Young People (up 13%).
To stabilize our position, the Council has applied for Exceptional Financial Support (EFS) from the government. For 2025/26, the Lib Dem group currently in control of Shropshire Council have applied £61.8 million of this support from the government (at a variable rate of interest). However officers have stated this is likely to be £90 million for 26/27, and another £100 million in loans for 27/28. They have also stated it is unlikely the Council will balance its books for up to ten years, and by then the Council may have racked up debts of £100s millions. It is critical that the Council, particularly the cabinet and senior managers urgently make savings even though I understand some of those decisions will be difficult. My concern is that ultimately, residents and council tax payers will be the ones burdened with these debt repayments whilst also seeing their services decline.
Disposing of Shirehall A part of the council’s recovery strategy is the sensible management and disposal of assets. This week, Cabinet agreed to move forward urgently with the marketing and sale of the Shirehall site. My preference is to see this site used for housing development, including affordable units, which will provide an optimum return to the Council and reduce our reliance on government support.
Audit and Governance While the Audit and Governance Committee has only been able to provide “limited assurance” on the internal control framework for the seventh year running, they have noted that our financial statements correctly reflect the Council’s true position. As a Conservative, I believe in absolute transparency and fiscal discipline, and I will be pushing for the “one team” ethos mentioned in the LGA review to be embedded across all departments to ensure every penny of your council tax is used effectively.
Final Thoughts
We are facing an unprecedented financial situation, but I am committed to ensuring that Shifnal South remains a priority while we put Shropshire Council back on a sustainable footing. I will keep you updated on the outcomes of Thursday’s meeting.
As always, if you have any concerns, please do not hesitate to get in touch.
Cllr Ed Bird Conservative Representative for Shifnal South
Edward Bird - Councillor for Shifnal South and Cosford 