The Transformation and Improvement Overview and Scrutiny Committee were scheduled to meet to discuss the financial and performance monitoring reports for the second quarter of 2025/26, and to consider the report of the Partnership Working Task and Finish Group. Councillors were also expected to discuss the committee's work programme for 2025-26.

Partnership Working Task and Finish Group

The committee was scheduled to consider the report of the Partnership Working Task and Finish Group, which is chaired by Councillor Dawn Husemann. The group was formed to explore ways in which partnership working could be developed to deliver outcomes for Shropshire people and communities more efficiently and effectively at a local level. The report summarised the first phase of the group's work, which focused on enhancing collaboration between Shropshire Council and town and parish councils.

The Task and Finish Group was scheduled to provide updates to both the Transformation and Improvement Overview and Scrutiny Committee and the cabinet at specific points in their work, mindful of the timeliness of, and alignment with, budget setting.

The report identified three key strategic areas:

• Communication
• Support and training
• Essential information

The Task and Finish Group aimed to review ways in which financial and non-financial benefits might be achieved through the adoption of a partnership approach. As part of their continuing work, the group planned to consider how the different needs of communities, geographic areas and partners should be built into any framework and arrangements for effective partnership working.

The report noted that survey results received in early September 2025 from town and parish councils had aided the Task and Finish Group's understanding of which services could be more effectively delivered locally either by the town and parish councils themselves, through use of local providers, or in partnership with Shropshire Council.

Since September 2025, the group had held four meetings, reviewed survey feedback, engaged with local representatives, and focused on the planned transfer of Streetscene services as a pilot in selected areas such as Shrewsbury, Oswestry and Shifnal.

The Task and Finish Group recognised that communities have differing needs, expectations and resources to deliver services and that developing an understanding of these and listening to the needs of partners is key to its success.

The Task and Finish Group were scheduled to continue to meet and feedback to the Transformation and Improvement Overview and Scrutiny Committee and cabinet at regular intervals to keep them informed of work as it progresses.

The group also agreed upon two areas of focus where they felt that value could be added:

• A scrutiny review of phase one – the transfer of Streetscene to Shrewsbury, Shifnal and Oswestry town councils - 6 months after the transfer has taken place to gather the learning from these areas.
• A review of the foundations development phase to assess the effectiveness of communication, support and training, and information provision.

The report included several recommendations. It stated that communication going forward must be:

Consistent in its messaging, previously confusion has occurred about the message itself and terminology being used, this needs to be clarified and clearly explained. Sufficient to ensure that all stakeholders feel adequately informed about

• what's happening
• The implications to them
• The consequences of these changes to them and their residents It must be open, honest and two way. Multiple communication channels need to be used including but not limited to
• face to face meetings,
• group sessions,
• newsletters,
• press releases.

It was recommended that this begins with providing all participants with the results of the survey that they completed, as not being given the results has caused frustration amongst town and parish councils.

The report also stated that suitable support and training for town and parish councils is essential, and that any breakdown in this area will mean that people simply won't have the skills, capability or willingness to make the partnership working a success. It was recommended that there is provision of a single point of contact at an administrative level to support the town and parish clerks, and that Shropshire Council should liaise with the Shropshire Association of Local Councils (SALC) to assist in the provision of ongoing support and training to clerks as this process moves forward.

Regarding the sharing of essential information, the report stated that before people can or will be willing to engage with Shropshire Council about the transfer of services it is critical that they are given full information about:

• The services to be transferred
• What the minimum statutory service provision for each item of service to be transferred is
• What the current cost of these services to Shropshire Council is
• How much money town and parish councils will be given to carry out these services locally and what the ongoing financial arrangements are going to be.
• Exactly what will be expected of them and what help they will be given.

Financial Monitoring Report Quarter 2 2025/26

The committee was scheduled to scrutinise the financial performance of Shropshire Council at Quarter 2 of 2025/26. The aim was to identify issues that may require further investigation by an overview and scrutiny committee.

Performance Monitoring Report Quarter 2 2025/26

The committee was scheduled to note progress to date in achieving the outcomes of The Shropshire Plan. They were also expected to confirm that the KPIs¹ currently agreed remain the same for Q2 of 2025/2026 and thereafter, and be aligned to the refresh of the Shropshire Plan in 2025/26.

Work Programme

The committee was scheduled to consider proposals for their work programme for 2025 – 2026.