Mayor warns of 'challenging decisions' ahead for Church Stretton

Looking ahead to 2020, Bob Welch, Mayor of Church Stretton, said there were "challenging decisions" to be made, but encouraged people to put divisive politics to one side and put the focus back on other issues.

"After the national political paralysis of the last three years, there is a widely shared hope that the country can, in this New Year, come back together again to address issues of common concern," said Councillor Welch.

"It is encouraging that all parties now agree that rural areas have, in the past, not been receiving their fair share of national funding.

"In turn, Shropshire Council has recognised the need for a Rural Strategy that helps market towns and their surrounding parishes to come together for their mutual social and economic benefit.

"This is made all the more necessary by the continuing constraint on the funding of public services at national and county level.

"As a community, we need to pool our thinking on how best to address the challenges ahead."

Comprehensive

Councillor Welch said things such as youth provision, employment, affordable housing, conservation and the needs of the ageing population as some of the areas to address.

He also said it was important to take advantage of technological advances, address climate change, and find ways to keep high streets thriving in the face of online competition.

Councillor Welch added: "In addressing these challenges, the council wants to ensure that it minimises any further increase in local council tax.

"To that end, the council is undertaking a comprehensive review of its current costs and its use of buildings and land holdings. That will inevitably involve some challenging decisions.

"Having seen the damage of divisiveness at national level, let us, at our local level, resolve, at this New Year, to work together for the good of the town, whatever our differing views."