Special report: Shropshire Council facing difficult choices

It could fall victim to the doomsday scenario painted by Shropshire Council chiefs who have warned that leisure centres, swimming pools, parks, and tourism facilities across the county all face closure unless alternative management can be found.

In effect Shropshire Council is sounding an early warning that 'non statutory' services – those it is not legally required to provide – are all under threat as the authority comes to terms with multi-million pound reductions in its budget.

The call has gone out to town and parish councils, community groups, voluntary organisations, to come forward and talk about taking over the services. As it stands, unless they do those services will close their doors for good.

Other museums facing the axe include Ludlow Museum and Resource Centre, Acton Scott Working Farm and Much Wenlock Museum.

For leisure centres, the picture shows scores of communities across the county could be affected. They include Market Drayton, Much Wenlock, Shrewsbury, Ludlow, Oswestry, Church Stretton, Bridgnorth, Ellesmere, Wem and Whitchurch.

The question is, how realistic is it to expect groups with far smaller budgets, fewer staff, and less experience to take over expensive services which by their nature have existed largely through public subsidy?

The announcement that the council's leisure budget will be reduced to zero for 2017/18 also throws serious doubt on the future of plans to build a new swimming pool for Shrewsbury. The authority has admitted that it would take years to complete any new-build, so is it really likely to proceed when the leisure budget will be eliminated long before completion?

Shropshire Council agreed its financial strategy for the next three years earlier this week and the plans amount to more than £50 million of cuts to the authority's budget.

They also include plans to cut funding for bus routes and reveal that the authority could abandon all of its parks.

Councillor Malcolm Pate, leader of Shropshire Council, has described the proposals as involving "draconian and unthinkable" measures.

MUSEUMS

• Acton Scott Historic Working Farm

• Coleham Pumping Station

• Ludlow Museum*

• Ludlow Museum Resource Centre

• Much Wenlock Museum

• Shrewsbury Castle

• Shrewsbury Museum & Art Gallery

• *grant-funded so financial support would stop.

LEISURE CENTRES AND SWIMMING POOLS

Shropshire Council in-house facilities:

• Idsall Sports Centre (Shifnal)

• Meole Brace Golf Course (S’bury)

• Much Wenlock Leisure Centre

• Roman Road Sports Centre (S’bury)

Grant or Service Level Agreement-funded facilities:

• Bridgnorth Leisure Centre

• Lakelands Leisure Centre

• Highley Leisure Centre

• Wem Swimming Pool

• Whitchurch Joint Use Centre

Shropshire Community Leisure Trust-run facilities:

• Market Drayton Swimming Centre

• Oswestry Leisure Centre

• Quarry Swimming & Fitness Centre (Shrewsbury)

• Shrewsbury Sports Village & Indoor Bowling Centre

• Whitchurch Swimming Centre

Teme Leisure-run facilities:

• South Shropshire Leisure Centre, Ludlow

• SpArC (Bishops Castle)

• Cleobury Mortimer Leisure Centre

• Church Stretton Leisure Centre

Parks and countryside sites:

• The Mere, Ellesmere

• Severn Valley Country Park, Alveley

He said: "It is probably the most difficult financial strategy I can think I have ever been involved in or had to propose."

Shropshire is not the only council considering cutbacks in public services. At the start of the year it was revealed that libraries, markets and community centres face the chop as Telford & Wrekin Council plans to make £30 million of cuts.

Roger Evans, leader of Shropshire Council's Liberal Democrat group and representative of Longden, said he does not believe it will be possible for town and parish councils to fill the gap left by Shropshire Council.

He said the council will need to discuss with the public over what is given priority to protect.

He said: "I do not think it is feasible or fair for individual parish or town councils to take on these responsibilities.

"They are county-wide facilities attracting people from across Shropshire and England.

"If we want tourism as an income generator, then we need to have something to attract people to visit their towns and for parish councils to take on these facilities without help, I do not think it is feasible.

"I am concerned that they will disappear to the detriment of the social fabric of the county."

Shrewsbury Town Council has already taken over youth services from Shropshire Council, and is in negotiations to take over the town's library.

Councillor Alan Mosley, leader of the Shrewsbury authority and also of Shropshire Council's Labour group, said that while it would be possible for larger councils to help out it could result in greater costs for council tax payers.

Both Councillor Pate and the council's chief executive Clive Wright have said that without help from the Government to balance the way funding is split between rural and urban councils, then they will be able to do little but maintain their statutory functions, such as safeguarding vulnerable children and adults.