The Transformation and Improvement Overview and Scrutiny Committee of Shropshire Council met to discuss a range of topics, including member bullying and harassment, financial performance, and the council's work programme. The committee was also scheduled to review the progress against the Shropshire Plan.

Member Bullying and Harassment

The committee was scheduled to consider a report from the Member Bullying and Harassment Task and Finish Group, which detailed its findings and recommendations. The task and finish group was formed to:

understand some of the challenges faced by Members as they carry out their roles as a Shropshire Councillor, to consider and propose what a protocol for handling incidents should include, and promote a culture of safety and respect within the council.

The report noted an increase in abuse towards public officials, posing risks to democracy, and that a number of councillors had experienced intimidation and abuse.

The Task and Finish Group made several recommendations, including:

• Implementing a detailed protocol for handling bullying and harassment incidents.

• Regularly reviewing the protocol and safety guidance for relevance.

• Ensuring that all incidents are reported and tracked to identify patterns.

• Referencing safety in the induction program for new Members.

• Maintaining collaboration with the Force Elected Official Advisor for ongoing support.

The report included a draft protocol, a flowchart for reporting incidents, and guidance for members on personal safety. The protocol stated that:

Whenever there is a threat to a Member (or officer), priority should be given to working together across Council services to assess the risk and provide a proportionate response.

The guidance for members on personal safety included advice on:

• Sharing plans with trusted individuals
• Arranging meetings in public places
• Parking in well-lit areas
• Keeping mobile phones charged and accessible
• Using phone tracking apps
• Setting privacy settings on social media

Financial Monitoring

The committee was scheduled to scrutinise the Financial Outturn for 2024/25 and the Financial Monitoring for Period 1. The aim was to identify issues that might require further investigation by an overview and scrutiny committee.

Performance Monitoring

The committee was scheduled to note progress against the outcomes of the Shropshire Plan (TSP) and confirm that the Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) remained the same for Quarter 1 of 2025/2026. The KPIs were scheduled to be aligned to the refresh of the TSP in 2025/26.

Work Programme

The committee was scheduled to discuss and agree on items for the work programme for 2025/2026.

Public Question Time

The committee was scheduled to receive a question from a member of the public, Mike Streetly, regarding the full business case for the North West Relief Road.