The following motions have been received in accordance with Procedure Rule 16:

The following motion was proposed by Councillor Duncan Kerr and supported by the Green and Independent Group:

Last year Carers UK launched a policy report and a national campaign to establishing that caring should be a protected characteristic under the Equalities Act saying

“Carers have given us strong evidence that they do not feel that there is a level playing field. They feel invisible, overlooked, and discriminated against. When applying for jobs, equality monitoring forms do not ask whether someone has unpaid caring responsibilities. There is no direct requirement for simple reasonable adjustments for carers in the workplace. Carers say that this would make a difference”.

This Council has already shown its willingness to help those who suffer disadvantage and discrimination by its unanimous decision to treat care-leavers as having a protected characteristic under this Act and I know this has meant a lot to the children that we have parental responsibility for. Carers clearly feel they suffer discriminations and inequality that limits their role. Empowering them by giving them this protection would not only improve the quality of life for the people they care for but also reduce demands on Social care.

We therefore call on the Council to:

1. Support the campaign by Carers UK to make having caring responsibilities a protected characteristic under the Equalities Act and

2. To treat carers in Shropshire as though they had a protected characteristic.

RESOLVED:

That the Council:

1. Supports the campaign by Carers UK to make having caring responsibilities a protected characteristic under the Equalities Act and

2. Treats carers in Shropshire as though they had a protected characteristic.

Motion received from Councillor Rosemary Dartnall and supported by the Labour Group

The financial crisis that has been rumbling forwards for a number years has reached an inevitable crunch point. Unless urgent action is taken to avert a section 114 notice, Shropshire Council will not be able to balance its budget this financial year. If we cannot pull back from the brink, we are now looking at the very real prospect of government commissioners running the council.

This outcome is not in the public interest and I’m sure none of us want it to happen.

The basic member allowance is due to increase by 3.2% - to be back-dated to either 1 April or 5 May, in the October payroll. We propose the increase for all councillors is cancelled immediately.

Allowing for the addition of basic allowance multipliers for portfolio holders and councillors with certain roles, this will save £44,500 in the current financial year and impact positively on coming years. While a relatively minor financial contribution in terms of the overall position, it equates to 5% of the current shortfall and represents a small but important step in the right direction.

Unanimous agreement to this motion would demonstrate leadership and make a strong statement to the public and to Shropshire Council staff, who have endured several years of uncertainty about their jobs.

Please vote with us to cancel the proposed member increase with immediate effect.

Upon being put to the vote, the motion failed.

Motion received from Councillor Harry Hancock-Davies and supported by the Reform UK Group

Motion: Establishment of a Fraud Investigation Team

Currently, Shropshire Council has no dedicated fraud investigation team. As a result, the authority faces a significant risk of under-detecting and under-reporting fraud. This may lead to fraudulent claims or practices going unchallenged, minimal recovery of public funds, and a growing perception that fraud within Shropshire is unlikely to be detected. This may exacerbate financial pressures and erode public confidence in the Council’s ability to safeguard resources.

This Council notes with concern the findings of the 2023 report by Crowe, Peters & Peters, and the University of Plymouth, which estimate that annual losses to the UK’s public sector amount to £50.2 billion. Of this, £8.8 billion (excluding benefits) is attributed to fraud within Local Authorities. The largest risks are identified in procurement (£5bn), housing tenancy fraud (£2bn), and payroll fraud (£1.2bn). Additionally, benefit-related fraud accounts for £2.9bn, including Housing Benefit fraud (£700m) and Council Tax Reduction fraud (£60m).

This Council believes:

That taking proactive steps to prevent, detect, and address fraud is essential to protecting public funds, ensuring fairness, and maintaining trust within local government.

That a dedicated fraud team, whether internally managed or externally contracted—subject to a feasibility assessment—can provide a robust structure for risk-based investigation, prevention, and enforcement while positively contributing to the Council’s financial resilience.

This Council notes:

The support provided to local authorities by the Fighting Fraud and Corruption Locally strategy, which sets out a coordinated national framework supported by the Public Sector Fraud Authority (PSFA) and the National Audit Office (NAO).

The effectiveness of focused fraud investigation and detection, as evidenced by the annual reports of the National Fraud Initiative.

That whilst the exceptional recovery ratios achieved in some large urban areas may not be matched in Shropshire, evidence from comparable councils suggests that even modest detection and recovery levels can result in net savings exceeding operational costs.

This Council recognises that every pound lost to fraud is a pound not being invested in our communities, public services, and adult social care. Fraud directly impacts the Council’s ability to provide services to those in genuine need and adds stress to already stretched finances.

 
That from the 1 September 2025, the Economic Crime and Corporate Transparency Act 2023 introduces a new corporate offence of failure to prevent fraud. This legislation places a duty on organisations to implement reasonable fraud prevention measures and holds them criminally liable for fraudulent acts committed by employees or agents

Therefore, this Council resolves to:

1. Establish a permanently dedicated and resourced Fraud Investigation Team, tasked with the detection, investigation, and recovery of monies lost through fraudulent activity, in compliance with the Council’s governance and budgetary procedures.
2. Ensure the Team works closely with other relevant Council departments—such as procurement and Revenues & Benefits to maximise recovery and prevention efforts.
3. Where appropriate, pursue prosecutions to deliver a strong deterrent effect, ensuring that successful cases taken through the courts are publicised through the media to maximise deterrence, and that all work is carried out fully within the legislative framework available.
4. Develop partnerships with external agencies including the Police, HMRC, DWP, and other relevant organisations to strengthen investigations, prosecutions, and the recovery of proceeds of crime.
5. Implement a timeline for the establishment and review of the Fraud Investigation Team, with periodic reporting to Full Council or the Audit Committee.

The motion was ruled out of order due to budget implications and was referred, following a vote to the Audit and Governance Committee for further consideration.