The Shropshire Council was scheduled to discuss the financial outturn for 2024/25, the constitution of committees, a domestic abuse safe accommodation strategy, and appointments to outside bodies at its meeting on 17 July 2025. Councillors were also expected to consider motions relating to roadside verges and planning policy.

Financial Performance and Audit

The council was scheduled to review its financial performance for 2024/25, including both revenue and capital spending. The report pack included a detailed breakdown of budget variations by service area, with significant overspends noted in People and Place directorates. Factors contributing to these variations included higher than anticipated activity in Children's Services, increased demand for Home to School Transport, and demand and inflationary pressures in Adult Social Care.

The report pack also included discussion of savings delivery, the general fund balance, the housing revenue account, and the dedicated schools grant¹.

The report pack included several recommendations for the council to consider, including:

• Noting the overall variance in the year was £34.230m above budget.
• Noting the use of £7.726m of Earmarked Reserves and Provisions.
• Approving net budget variations of £1.946m to the 2024/25 capital programme.

The report pack also included the Annual Assurance Report of the Audit Committee to Council 2024/25, which provided limited assurance that the council has adequate governance, risk management, and internal control frameworks. The report pack noted that the Audit Committee was requesting an increase in the number of members serving on it to nine and a change to its title to the Audit and Governance Committee.

Domestic Abuse Safe Accommodation Strategy

The council was scheduled to consider the Domestic Abuse Safe Accommodation Strategy 2025. Part 4 of the Domestic Abuse Act 2021 places duties on local authorities to assess the need for safe accommodation-based domestic abuse support, appoint a multi-agency Domestic Abuse Local Partnership Board (DALPB), and develop and publish a strategy for the provision of such support.

The report pack included the Shropshire Domestic Abuse Needs Assessment, which informed the strategy. The strategy aimed to present the Shropshire position in relation to the provision of safe accommodation and support, as well as making suggestions and recommendations around how the council could improve in this area and bridge identified gaps.

The report pack noted that work was underway to commission a domestic abuse service that will seek to bridge the gaps found in the needs assessment and achieve the recommendations of the strategy.

Constitution of Committees

The council was scheduled to discuss a change of name and an increase in the membership of the Audit Committee. The report pack noted that the Audit Committee had requested that the council increase the size of the committee by four members so that all groups on the council can be represented on it and it has the capacity to manage its work through sub-groups or working parties if appropriate, and that the title is amended to Audit and Governance Committee to make its role clearer.

Appointments to Outside Bodies

The council was scheduled to note the appointments of Shropshire Council representatives to various outside bodies, committees and groups made by the Working Group.

Motions

Roadside Verges

Councillor Ed Potter put forward a motion, supported by the Conservative Group, regarding litter on roadside verges, including disused road signs. The motion requested that Shropshire Council Highways adopt a policy instructing all Highways works teams and contractors, including utility companies, to remove disused and broken signs left behind by previous work schemes. It also asked the Chief Executive to write to the Chief Executive of National Highways to request their work teams and contractors operating in Shropshire adopt the same approach.

Planning for a Better Shropshire

Councillor Julian Dean put forward a motion, supported by the Green & Progressive Independent Group, regarding planning for a better Shropshire. The motion stated that Shropshire Council recognises the need to deliver the right homes, at the right price, in the right places to address the housing affordability crisis, to provide clean energy infrastructure to support the UK's future energy needs, and to rapidly deliver projects that will help our natural environment to recover.

The motion requested that the Leader of the Council write to the Prime Minister, Deputy Prime Minister, relevant Secretaries of State, as well as local MPs, expressing concerns about revisions to the 'standard method' for calculating housing targets and the Planning and Infrastructure Bill currently passing through Parliament, and calling for the withdrawal of part 3 of the Planning and infrastructure Bill. It also asked our MPs to oppose measures in part 3 of the Planning and Infrastructure Bill and requested portfolio holders to accelerate completion of the Local Nature Recovery Strategy and Local Transport Plan and to hold urgent meetings with Registered Providers to maximise the benefit to Shropshire from the uplift to the Affordable Homes Programme.