Over the last month my time has been split between local casework across Whittington and West Felton, and my wider responsibilities as Shropshire Council’s Cabinet Member for Planning. As ever, much of the work happens behind the scenes, but it is all geared towards achieving practical improvements for residents while helping shape the council’s future direction.
Supporting Local Communities
Locally, a significant amount of time has been devoted to highways, street scene, drainage and infrastructure issues raised by residents. I have been working with officers to ensure concerns are investigated and that longer-term solutions are considered where problems repeatedly occur.I have also continued to engage directly with residents through correspondence, meetings and surgeries. These conversations remain one of the most valuable parts of the role, helping me understand where services are working well and where further action is needed. Maintaining accessibility and responsiveness to local concerns remains a priority.
Driving Improvements in Planning Services
A major focus during July has been the ongoing transformation of Planning Services. Work has continued on strengthening service capacity, workforce planning and recruitment, while looking at how the council can modernise processes, improve resilience and deliver a better service for residents, applicants and communities.
Alongside this, I have continued work on planning enforcement improvements, including the development of a refreshed approach to enforcement, clearer public information and improved guidance for residents and members. These changes are intended to make the service more transparent and easier to navigate. I have asked for a similar approach in other service areas under my portfolio.
Progressing the New Local Plan
One of the most important pieces of work currently underway is the preparation of a new Local Plan. The scoping consultation has gathered views on what the plan should contain and how communities wish to be involved in shaping it. This informal consultation marked the first stage in producing a new development framework for Shropshire. Plan making starts formally in September.
During the month, preparations have continued around the settlement hierarchy, evidence gathering and ensuring appropriate resources are in place for the work ahead.
Engagement with the consultation has been encouraging, demonstrating the importance residents, businesses and parish councils place on the future of the county.
For communities such as Whittington and West Felton, the Local Plan will be particularly significant. My aim remains to ensure rural communities are assessed fairly, taking proper account of infrastructure, services, environmental constraints and local circumstances.
Strengthening Financial Sustainability
Much of the council’s strategic work continues to focus on financial recovery and long-term sustainability. Recent discussions have centred on reducing reliance on exceptional financial support while developing a broader financial sustainability strategy to place the council on a firmer footing for the future.
Within my own portfolio, I have looked at fees and charges benchmarking against comparable authorities to identify opportunities to improve cost recovery and support service delivery. This work is about ensuring services are funded fairly while protecting value for residents. I will be taking this forward with officers.
Digital Transformation and Service Improvement
The council is also moving forward with a broader programme of transformation and modernisation. Recent work has focused on digital improvement, service redesign, automation, data and technology to help improve outcomes for residents and ensure services remain sustainable into the future.
Alongside this, work continues across the organisation to review structures, build capacity, streamline processes and reduce delays caused by outdated ways of working. The objective is simple: a council that is more responsive, efficient and focused on delivering results for local communities.
Looking Ahead
The coming months will be busy. The Local Plan will continue with preparation for the official start in Spetember, planning service transformation will move into its next phase, and I expect highways, drainage and infrastructure concerns to remain high on the agenda locally. Internet and mobile access remains a significant priority across my patch.
At the same time, the council must continue its work to strengthen financial sustainability and modernise services.
My focus remains on ensuring that strategic changes at county level deliver tangible benefits for residents in Whittington, West Felton and across Shropshire. Whether dealing with local highways concerns, strengthening planning services or helping shape the county’s future development strategy, the goal is the same: delivering practical improvements and better outcomes for our communities.
