Shropshire Council's cabinet met to discuss the financial situation of the council, performance against the Shropshire Plan, and a number of other matters. The cabinet agreed to continue emergency action to improve the council's financial position, supported public consultation for the Severn Valley Water Management Scheme, and approved recommendations for a skateboard and BMX pump track in Oswestry. They also noted progress against the outcomes of the Shropshire Plan, and agreed to review and align Shropshire’s Performance Management Framework with the new administration’s priorities.

Financial Monitoring

The cabinet addressed the council's projected £47.069 million overspend, based on the Quarter 2 financial monitoring report. They resolved to continue emergency measures to reduce spending and increase income. The report highlighted that savings delivery was at £21.304 million (36%) at the end of September, and the projected General Fund Balance was negative, at -£12.789 million, which could indicate an illegal financial position by year-end.

The cabinet agreed to continue discussions with the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) regarding Exceptional Financial Support (EFS).

Performance Monitoring

The cabinet reviewed the Quarter 2 performance report, which measures progress against the Shropshire Plan outcomes: Healthy People, Healthy Economy, Healthy Environment and a Healthy Organisation.

The cabinet agreed to review and align Shropshire’s Performance Management Framework and the associated suite of Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) with the new administration’s priorities, Corporate Plan and the Local Government Outcomes Framework metrics.

The report noted that of the 27 newly reported KPIs with targets:

• 74% (20KPIs) are above their target (green).
• 4% (1 KPI) of indicators were similar to their target (amber).
• 22% (6 KPIs) are below their target and are exceptions (red).

The report highlighted a number of exceptions where KPIs were not being met. These included:

• The percentage of Education, Health and Care Plans (EHCP) issued within 20 weeks (excluding exceptions).
• The percentage of high-risk businesses, subject to a planned inspection, which were inspected to ensure compliance.
• The rate of deaths by suicide.
• The average number of days lost to sickness absence per year.
• Staff turnover rates.
• Reduction of households in Bed and Breakfast accommodation.

The report also highlighted areas of improvement, including the percentage of children accessing free early education at 2 and 3 years, levels of investment, the percentage of household waste sent for re-use, recycling and composting, and agency staff as a percentage of the workforce.

Skateboard & BMX Pump Track Provision in Oswestry

The cabinet agreed that Oswestry Town Council should undertake the final consultation to determine the preferred site for a Skateboard & BMX Pump Track. They also agreed to put a lease in place for the site selected by the town council, and delegated to the Head of Property and Development, in consultation with the Portfolio Holder for Finance, the agreement of terms and finalisation of the lease. Oswestry Town Council will also carry out detailed feasibility and design work to determine what the new facility will look like.

Severn Valley Water Management Scheme

The cabinet agreed to continue Shropshire Council's input into the Joint Project Board for the Severn Valley Water Management Scheme (SVWMS) to support public consultation. The SVWMS aims to develop a strategy for water management in the upper Severn catchment, utilising £10 million of government investment.

The cabinet agreed to endorse and support the next stage of public and stakeholder consultation for the SVWMS, and delegated responsibility to the Chief Executive for progressing the council’s support for the SVWMS through the Joint Project Board. They also agreed to embed the programme within the Marches Forward Partnership, to ensure a joined-up approach to cross border working between Shropshire and Powys.

Health and Safety Performance

The cabinet noted the Annual Health & Safety Performance Report 2024/25, which highlighted good progress in managing health, safety and wellbeing across the council. Internal targets for 2025-2026 include auditing/compliance checks across directorates, procurement and delivery of a management training course, reviewing and responding to changes arising from the restructure of teams, and implementing a corporate system to coordinate risk information relating to Potentially Violent Persons and premises of concern relevant to service areas (Staff Protection Register).

Other Matters

The cabinet also made the following decisions:

• Approved the minutes of the meeting held on 15 October 2025.
• Approved the exclusion of press and public from the meeting during consideration of exempt items.
• Approved the exempt minutes from the meeting held on 15 October 2025.
• Approved recommendations relating to Education Place Planning Phase 4, Special Education Needs Provision - Capital Works, and Chief Executive and Chief Officer 2025/26 Pay Award Options.
• Noted that the next meeting is scheduled to take place on Wednesday 3 December 2025.