More than 4,000 give their view on Telford & Wrekin Council budget cuts

The council held a four-week public consultation after announcing it has to make £30 million of cuts, following a 20 per cent cut to its Government grant next year.

And the feedback will help councillors decide whether to increase council tax above the Government-assumed two per cent increase for adult social care services, and whether it alters any of its proposed cuts.

Councillor Lee Carter, cabinet member for finance, said: "Given the cuts we have to make and that these threaten many services that the public greatly value, it's no surprise that we have had this level of response.

"We're looking at people's views in more depth and the public's views will help us with decisions around the council's budget and council tax.

"Thank you to everyone who took the time to give their views and came and spoke with me or my cabinet colleagues at the many events we held during the consultation.

"My experience was that while people don't like what we have to do, residents understand that, given the scale of cuts in Government grant, we have no choice."

The council received 4,013 responses and comments during the consultation, the majority through a budget survey, while hundreds of people gave their views at a range of roadshow events across the borough at locations including supermarkets and Telford bus station.

A number of changes have already been announced to come into force by April 2017, including the council stopping running community centres, a number of children's centres and many of its libraries.

However it is also talking to various organisations in the borough to see if community groups or partners could run these services.

Libraries at Hadley, Dawley, Stirchley, Madeley, Newport and Donnington have been earmarked for possible closure under the consultation.

Markets in Madeley, Hadley, Dawley, Ironbridge, Oakengates and Newport could also be affected. But after talks, Hadley and Dawley local town and parish councils have already agreed to take on running some services such as the libraries, and others could also be saved.

Telford & Wrekin Council has already made £80 million worth of cuts since 2010.