Closing Shrewsbury's museum and sporting facilities would be a 'catastrophe', says councillor

As many as seven of the town's Shropshire Council owned public services are under threat following an agreement that will see leisure centre and tourism budgets reduced to zero in 2017/18.

Shrewsbury services affected include, Shrewsbury Museum and Art Gallery, The Quarry Swimming and Fitness Centre, Shrewsbury Sports Village and Indoor Bowling Centre, Meole Brace Golf Course, Shrewsbury Castle, Coleham Pumping Station, and Roman Road Sports Centre.

The announcement also throws doubt on plans for a multi million replacement for Shrewsbury's Quarry swimming pool.

The reduction in funding comes as part of Shropshire Council's financial strategy for the next three years - with the authority looking to cut around £50 million from its budget.

Councillor Alan Mosley, Shrewsbury Town Council's leader, has said that he is concerned that services will either be taken over by the private companies, or disappear completely.

He said: "We are looking at a catastrophe as services and facilities which have been built up over many years are diminished in terms of local Government and public services.

"It is a method from Government of increasing taxes.

"They are forcing the local authority to increase taxes - and taxes which are regressive, they hit lower earners more than higher earners - and at the same time forcing them to withdraw from providing services, and no doubt many of them will go to private enterprise, or disappear entirely from our range of public services."

Shropshire Council has said that unless alternative management comes forward to take over the sites, then they are "at risk of likely closure".

Councillor Mosley said that Shrewsbury Town Council is looking to take over a number of services, but would not be able to fill the gap completely because of the potential cost to the tax payer.

He said: "We are in discussions on certain services because we want to retain as many as possible within the public sector and we know we can provide high quality at value for money.

"However, if Shropshire Council intends to withdraw all finance from some of these services then clearly that has implications for the people paying the precept in the Shrewsbury area, which seems unfair and may be unacceptable to very many."

The town council has already taken on the management of youth services in Shrewsbury and is in discussions over taking control of the town's library, which would also serve as its head offices.

Councillor Malcolm Pate, leader of Shropshire Council has said the authority is lobbying Government for Shropshire to receive a larger share of council funding - with urban areas currently receiving a greater portion.

The bid has been backed by Shrewsbury and Atcham MP, Daniel Kawczynski, who has warned that he is prepared to rebel against the Government for the first time in his career, unless there is a re-think over council funding.