Oswestry Town Council running of services gets under way

Since Wednesday (April 1), four towns – Shrewsbury, Oswestry, Broseley and Shifnal – have been operating new models for ‘street scene’ services such as street cleaning, grounds maintenance, verge cutting, footpaths, public waste bins and the upkeep of green spaces.

Under the new arrangements, Shropshire Council will retain oversight of the overall governance, but decision-making power and funding, will be devolved to the town and parish councils.

Funding which would have gone to private contractors to deliver these services will instead go to the relevant town and parish councils to support the work. Some town shave also seen large increases in their council tax precepts to support the project, with Oswestry's increasing by 39%.

The four areas will take different approaches:

• Shrewsbury – full devolution. Shrewsbury Town Council will take on full responsibility for planning and delivering all street scene services locally.
• Oswestry – partial devolution. Responsibility for parks, green spaces, footpaths and some environmental services will transfer locally, with other functions remaining with Shropshire Council, subject to certain conditions.
• Broseley – full devolution. A similar model to Shrewsbury, with local responsibility for delivery.
• Shifnal – enhanced partnership working. A collaborative approach to align priorities and improve responsiveness without a full transfer of services.

Alex Wagner, deputy Leader of Shropshire Council, said: “This is a big change, and it’s a positive one. We are moving away from a one-size-fits-all, contractor-led approach and towards something far more local, flexible and accountable.

“By devolving both decision-making and offering funding which would have gone to private contractors to those taking on services, we are giving town and parish councils the ability to prioritise what matters most in their areas.

"This will mean local councils can tailor services in a way that works best for their communities.

“We have to be clear: the financial challenges facing local government mean standing still is not an option.

"Financial transformation isn’t a choice, it’s a necessity. This is one of many examples of a new way of working which will help us save money and reduce inefficiencies, whilst still protecting the services people care about.

“In May, we will open up the next phase with expressions of interest, giving councils of all sizes and levels of rurality the opportunity to take on more control and shape services in their own parts of the county.

“What excites me most is that this won’t just be an internal change – it will be visible on the ground. People will see the difference in how their streets and green spaces are looked after.”

This first phase forms part of Shropshire Council’s wider transformation programme, focused on strengthening local delivery, improving efficiency and empowering communities.

An initial review will take place this summer to see how the new approach can be rolled out more effectively across the county.

Cabinet papers in May are expected to propose setting up a Service Devolution Board and to invite Expressions of Interest from local councils of all sizes and levels of rurality for similar schemes.