Four year programme to invest, protect and care for Telford and Wrekin
Telford & Wrekin Council is set to adopt five clear Community Commitments following the outcome of the local elections earlier this month, which returned Labour as the largest political group on the authority with an increased majority.
A report to the council’s cabinet which meets on May 30 says the elections were effectively a community-wide consultation on the future focus of the organisation and how it delivers its priorities.
Council leader Councillor Shaun Davies said: “Residents overwhelmingly endorsed our approach to invest, protect and care for Telford and Wrekin.
“The report to cabinet is our first step to ensuring our manifesto will be implemented in full as council policy during the next four years.”
The five Community Commitments are:
• To continue to fight the closure of the Princess Royal Hospital’s 24/7 A&E and consultant led Women and Children’s Centre
• To continue to keep Telford and Wrekin’s Council Tax among the lowest in the Midlands
• To continue to invest £80m per year in protecting the most vulnerable adults and children in the community, including those who are victims and survivors of sexual exploitation and domestic abuse
• To continue to Invest £50m in roads and footpaths across Telford and Wrekin and to continue to invest in creating new jobs for residents
• To continue to fight any proposed merger with Shropshire Council or other authorities as the borough is best served by retaining its own council
Councillor Davies added: “Our ambition is for Telford and Wrekin to be a family friendly borough. We will seek to protect, care and continue to invest in services and the community despite the severe financial challenges that still lie ahead.”
To support this, underpinning the five Community Commitments are 13 themes which will inform the organisation’s delivery focus. These are:
• Working for every community
• Improving health and wellbeing across Telford and Wrekin
• Securing the best start in life for children and young people
• Investing in Telford and Wrekin
• Supporting inclusive growth, jobs and new skills
• Supporting home owners and renters
• Making Telford and Wrekin safer
• A home for heroes
• Improving transport in Telford and Wrekin
• Ensuring a sustainable environment in Telford and Wrekin
• Our past, present and future – Community Pride
• Making Telford and Wrekin a great place to visit
• Culture, leisure and arts at the heart of Telford and Wrekin
Councillor Davies added: “These themes and actions build on our track record of delivery and achievements for and with the community over the past eight years.
“They provide a foundation for the minimum that we will seek to deliver over the life of the administration over the next four years.
“We know that delivering on these commitments in their own right will be challenging and we will do this despite a further £30m budget saving by 2022, uncertainty over the government’s funding model for local authorities and a lack of certainty over the future of adult social care.
“To ensure these commitments and objectives are driven, we will revise the Council Plan and Community Strategy. A new plan will be presented to cabinet in July and a revised community strategy will be presented to cabinet in the autumn.”
The local election on May 2 resulted in Labour winning 36 seats. The Conservatives have 13, the Liberal Democrats have four and there is one Independent councillor.
