NEWSROOM

The Leader of Telford & Wrekin Council, Councillor Lee Carter, said:

“Yesterday, the Government announced a landmark multi-year financial settlement for local authorities, something we have long advocated for, including on my most recent visit to Westminster Shaun Davies, the MP for Telford, where we met with the Secretary of State for Homes, Communities and Local Government, Steve Reed MP.

“This welcome announcement follows more than 14 years of austerity and reductions in local government funding, which has seen Telford & Wrekin Council have to make over £195m in savings since 2009. Despite making these ongoing savings, Council costs have continued to increase, with the cost of social care alone forecast to grow by over £15m next year, with total spend on social care accounting for over two-thirds of our entire budget.

"Now, for the first time in over a decade, councils have been given clarity on funding beyond a single year. This three-year settlement provides the certainty we need to plan strategically and make informed, long-term decisions, something that has not been possible under previous one-year arrangements.”

Based on the fairer funding formula, Telford & Wrekin Council is forecast to receive an increase of almost £67 million in spending power between 2024/25 and 2028/29. In real terms, against the rising costs of care, this will be a welcome boost of 8.8% to next year’s spending power, with over £6m in additional general funding alongside increased targeted funding for specific areas such as homelessness and children’s services.

Councillor Carter added:

“Coupled with fairer and increased funding from Government, this settlement will allow us to continue to protect and support the most vulnerable residents in Telford and Wrekin, while investing in the things that matter to residents most, from homes to highways, high streets to homelessness, skills, employment and education. It means we can also maintain those extra services such as free parking and free green waste collections that we know our residents value, at the same time as keeping our Council Tax the lowest in the Midlands and among the lowest nationally.”