Telford & Wrekin Council warns of council tax rise and 'challenging cuts' ahead as it seeks to plug funding gap

Telford & Wrekin councillors are set to consider the authority's medium term financial strategy for the next four years at their cabinet meeting on January 6.

The report, which will be presented to the cabinet, states that the council has delivered £181.7m of savings since the introduction of austerity policies by the Conservative/Liberal Democrat government in 2010.

It reads: "The severe financial constraints applied by the government to local authorities during the prolonged period of austerity has resulted in increasing numbers of councils in other parts of the country having to issue 'section 114 notices' and take extreme measures to restore financial stability.

"Locally, in the face of increasing demands for key services at the same time as we have been subject to cuts in our funding from government, the council has exercised very active budget management and financial control by cabinet members and officers across the council.

"The council has demonstrated a consistently strong track record of sound financial management for over 16 years despite having to deliver £181.7m ongoing annual budget savings by the end of 2024/25."

Despite this, the authority states that adult social care and children's safeguarding services in particular have faced "significant additional pressures", including an "extremely disappointing" Autumn Statement in 2023, interest rates remaining high and a population surge in the borough.