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.

To confirm the minutes of the meeting held on 9 July 2025

RESOLVED:

That the minutes of the meeting held on 9 July 2025 be confirmed as a correct record.

To receive any questions from members of the public, notice of which has been given in accordance with Procedure Rule 14. Deadline for notification is not later than 12 noon on Thursday 4 September 2025.

To receive any questions from Members of the Council. Deadline for notification is not later than 12 noon on Thursday 4 September 2025.

Chair of Economy and Environment Overview and Scrutiny Committee:  Councillor Ed Potter

RESOLVED:

3.1 That the relevant Portfolio Holders with officer support explore the possibility of transferring land to Oswestry Town Council for use as a pump track and skate park, and the most appropriate means of doing so.

3.2 That a report setting out the findings of the Portfolio Holder be presented to Cabinet on the 15th October.

Lead Member – Cllr Ruth Houghton, Portfolio Holder for Social Care

Lead Officer – Sonya Miller, Service Director Children and Young People

REPORT TO FOLLOW

RESOLVED:

3.1   That Cabinet acknowledges this outstanding achievement and the positive impact on the lives of children, young people and families.

3.2.  That Cabinet acknowledge the Council wide commitment to sustaining and embedding this outstanding achievement, at the same time recognising the preventative benefits that doing so will bring to children, young people and families.

3.3   The report to be shared with Full Council on the 25^th September 2025.

Lead Member – Cllr Roger Evans, Portfolio Holder for Finance

Lead Officer – James Walton, Executive Director of Resources

RESOLVED:

A. To note the arrangements being put into place to secure tighter control over all aspects of spending, as set out in this report

B. To note that the Quarter 1 position (as at the end of June) forecasts indicative savings delivery of £34.154m (57%)

C. To direct the Chief Executive to instruct all Officers to urgently take the necessary actions to improve the Quarter 1 forecast of a projected spend over budget of £33.544m (30th June 2025), by year end, predominantly focussing on remaining savings or mitigating actions to be delivered in 2025/26.

D. To consider the impact of the projected forecast on the General Fund Balance and note the risk of further service pressures (requiring additional savings) in the future financial years if financial performance in the current year is not significantly improved.

E. To consider the updated summary position as set out in the Period 4 Monitoring Report also on this agenda.

Lead Member – Cllr Roger Evans, Portfolio Holder for Finance

Lead Officer – James Walton, Executive Director of Resources

REPORT TO FOLLOW

RESOLVED: 

A.     To declare a financial emergency and direct the Chief Executive (in conjunction with the Council Leader) to instruct all Officers to take emergency action to reduce all non-essential spending between September and March to significantly improve the Period 4 forecast of a projected spend over budget of £35.169m. Such action should predominantly focus on reducing spend, delivering remaining savings and significant mitigating actions to control in-year spending pressures.

B.     Direct the Chief Executive to work closely with the LGA and the Council Leader to put in place an independently chaired Improvement Board, as recommended in the recent LGA Corporate Peer Challenge, as soon as practicable.

C.     To note that Operations Boards, to ultimately work with the Improvement Board, are in place from August 2025 to challenge all in-year spending.

D.     To note that the Period 4 position (as at the end of July) forecasts indicative savings delivery of £34.012m (57%).

E.     To note the projected General Fund Balance is now negative (£0.899m), indicating a potentially illegal financial position by the end of the financial year if no further action is taken F. Immediately direct the Chief Executive, working in collaboration with Cabinet, to bring forward a sustainable corporate plan for the authority to Council in December, reflected in a medium term financial strategy that sets out an approach to deliver a sustainable financial position within a timeframe of no more than three years.

Lead Member – Cllr Heather Kidd, Leader

Lead Officer – Billy Webster, Service Director of Strategy

RESOLVED:

1.     To Note progress to date in achieving the outcomes of The Shropshire Plan (TSP).

2.     To confirm that the KPIs currently agreed remain the same for 2025/2026 until aligned to the refresh of The Shropshire Plan in 2025/26

3.     To note the new draft Local Government Outcomes Framework, provide any feedback and consider these metrics when reviewing the KPIs for the new corporate plan.

Lead Member – Cllr David Walker, Portfolio Holder for Planning

Lead Officer – Tim Collard, Service Director for Legal, Governance and Planning

RESOLVED:

3.1. That Cabinet consider the Draft Shrewsbury Town Centre Design Code (Appendix 1) and approve a minimum six week public consultation on the draft document. Subject to the outcome of this consultation, the final draft Design Code will be brought back to Cabinet to seek approval to ‘adopt’ it as a material consideration in the determination of planning applications in Shrewsbury town centre.

3.2. That authority is given to the Service Director - Legal Governance and Planning, in consultation with the Portfolio Holder for Planning, to agree any additional minor changes to the Draft Shrewsbury Town Centre Design Code ahead of this consultation

Lead Member – Cllr Roger Evans, Portfolio Holder for Finance

Lead Officer – James Walton, Executive Director of Resources

RESOLVED:

3.1. Members are asked to review the position as set out in the report 3.1.1. Noting the summary of the wider economic environment and the Council’s borrowings and investments set out in Appendix A

3.1.2. Noting the performance within prudential indicators for quarter 1, 2025/26 (Appendix B)

Lead Member – Cllr David Walker, Portfolio Holder for Planning

Lead Officer – Tim Collard, Service Director for Legal, Governance and Planning

RESOLVED:

3.1. Following consideration of the draft Design of New Dwellings Supplementary Planning Document (Appendix 1) -  to approve a minimum six week public consultation on the draft document. Subject to the outcome of this consultation, the final draft Supplementary Planning Document will be brought back to Cabinet to seek approval to ‘adopt’ it as a material consideration in the determination of planning applications.

3.2. Following consieration of the draft Design of Residential Extensions and Alterations Supplementary Planning Document (Appendix 2) – to approve a minimum six week public consultation on the draft document. Subject to the outcome of this consultation, the final draft Supplementary Planning Document will be brought back to Cabinet to seek approval to ‘adopt’ it as a material consideration in the determination of planning applications.

3.3. That authority is given to the Service Director – Legal, Governance and Planning, in consultation with the Portfolio Holder for Planning, to agree any additional minor changes to the draft Design of New Dwellings Supplementary Planning Document (Appendix 1) and the draft Design of Residential Extensions and Alterations Supplementary Planning Document (Appendix 2) ahead of these consultations.

Lead Members - Cllr James Owen – Portfolio Holder Housing and Leisure

And Cllr David Walker – Portfolio Holder – Planning

Lead Officers - Laura Tyler, Service Director Commissioning

Tim Collard, Service Director Legal Governance and Planning

RESOLVED:

3.1 To agree the allocation of £680,000 of CIL funds to the Bishop’s Castle Pool Refurbishment project, including £300,000 from the Bishop’s Castle local CIL fund and £380,000 from the Strategic County wide CIL Fund.

3.2 To recommend that Council approve the Bishop’s Castle Pool Refurbishment Project for inclusion in the Capital Programme.

3.3 To recommend that Council approve the Bishop’s Castle Decarbonisation Project for inclusion in the Capital Programme.

3.4 To recommend that Council delegates authority to the Service Director for Commissioning, in consultation with the Portfolio Holder for Housing and Leisure to procure, negotiate and agree the terms of any agreements and contracts necessary and to proceed with the delivery of both projects

Lead Member – Cllr David Walker, Portfolio Holder for Planning

Lead Officer – Tim Collard, Service Director for Legal, Governance and Planning

RESOLVED:

That Cabinet agree the designation of the proposed Neighbourhood Area identified on the map in Appendix B, covering the Parish of West Felton as an appropriate basis for the development of a Neighbourhood Development Plan and notifies West Felton Parish Council accordingly.

To resolve that, 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, the public and press be excluded from the meeting during consideration of the following item

Lead Member – Councillor Roger Evans, Portfolio Holder for Finance

Lead Officer - Sam Williams, Service Director Enabling

RESOLVED:

That recommendations 3.1 and 3.2 set out in the report be approved. 

Wednesday 15 October 2025 at 10.30 am