Shrewsbury residents 'support council tax rise plan'

Around 60 people attended the annual town meeting where Shrewsbury Town Council members discussed plans to save the town's library, museums and leisure centres.

And in a show of hands, those in attendance backed an increase in council tax to help protect council-run services.

Council leader Alan Mosley said it was in discussion with Shropshire Council about the library, and the possibility of creating a community hub there.

He said that while the council would seek value for money, funding would be needed to support all the town's services.

"The question is how do the people of Shrewsbury feel about being put in a situation where to maintain the museums and services, you are going to have to foot the bill," he said.

"Our precept is on the very low side. The national average for a Band D property is over £60, the county average is over £60.

"We are below almost everywhere in terms of local council precept.

"If we are going to have these services, protect, promote and safeguard these services in publicly accountable hands, there is going to be an impact on the council tax."

Some people at the Guildhall meeting raised concerns that the council tax banding system does not represent how much families earn, while others said they would support the move as long as councillors continued to fight for fairer funding from the Government.

Services currently under threat include Shrewsbury Library, the Quarry Swimming Pool, Shrewsbury Sports Village, Meole Brace Golf Course, Shrewsbury Museum and Art Gallery, Shrewsbury Regimental Museum, Youth Activities, Harlescott Library, Roman Road Sports Centre and The Grange Youth Centre.

Speaking after the meeting, Councillor Mosley said: "I reported on the prospect of Shropshire Council closing vital local services like the library, museums, sports and recreation facilities and I was delighted that the overwhelming majority of residents supported our vision that the Town Council should seek to protect and promote those services under threat so that they remain under public ownership and control.

"There was also an almost unanimous approval of my proposal for an incremental increase in the Council Tax precept to support these services once there have been organisational changes, improvements in efficiency and value for money."