To confirm the minutes of the meetings held on 8 July 2026 and 14 July 2026.

RESOLVED

That the minutes of the meetings held on 8 July 2026 and 14 July 2026 be confirmed as a correct record. 

RESOLVED

That the minutes of the meetings held on 8 July 2026 and 14 July 2026 be confirmed as a correct record. 

At the outset of the meeting, the Leader outlined the serious financial challenges facing Shropshire Council and highlighted the 2027/28 budget-setting process as critical to securing the council’s long-term sustainability. The council faced a funding gap equivalent to around a quarter of its net budget. Rising demand for adult social care and children's services, together with inflationary pressures, was adding more than £66 million to annual costs, creating an unsustainable position without significant change.

A programme of transformation was underway to address these pressures, including reforms to children's services, digital transformation and future changes to adult social care. The focus was on reducing demand through prevention and early intervention, improving outcomes for residents and delivering long-term financial sustainability, while learning from best practice elsewhere and investing in initiatives that would generate future savings.

The Leader emphasised that difficult decisions would continue to be required and that all areas of expenditure would be subject to review. Transparency, pace and cross-party engagement would be essential as the Council worked to reduce its reliance on borrowing and Exceptional Financial Support, which represented additional debt rather than new funding. The overarching aim was to reshape services, live within available resources and create a more efficient and sustainable council for the future.