Latest news with #LezleyPicton
Yahoo
05-03-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Council leader stepping down at election
The leader of a council that almost ran out of money last year has said she will not be standing for re-election. Lezley Picton, who has led the Conservative groups on Shropshire Council since 2021, blamed the Labour government's plans to reorganise local authorities for her decision. The 63-year-old also pointed the finger at successive governments for underfunding councils, which has led to several of them being forced to effectively declare bankruptcy. Picton dismissed an accusation that she was quitting politics because her party was at risk of losing control of the council on 1 May. Her main reason for turning away from politics is her opposition to the government's long-term plan to form larger councils, which could see the already unitary Shropshire Council merge with neighbouring authorities. Devolution plans will also see England divided up into "strategic authorities", each with a directly elected mayor, who would get unprecedented powers over house building, transport and growth. "A lot of these decisions aren't going to be made locally and it will take away the very essence of local government," she said. "I don't see it as devolution, I see it as centralisation, so I'm not the right person to take people forward. "I've been in local government for four decades and I've seen this before when we got rid of districts for unitaries, and who lost out? – the residents." Picton took control of Shropshire Council in 2021 at a time when all five of the county's MPs were Conservative, as well as a central government led by Boris Johnson. The collapse of the Conservative vote in recent elections has diversified both national and local politics. Her administration has also been hampered by a funding crisis, which has downsized the council and reduced its level of function. Last year alone the council found savings of almost £50m, which is about 20% of its net budget. The leader warned of being "unbelievably close" to bankruptcy in October, with social care demands outpacing the means to fund it. The decision to charge £56 a year for garden waste collections and the introduction of a booking system for the county's household tips were both unpopular with residents. "I don't think people understand how hard the Conservatives have worked over the past four years to keep the wolf from the door, and not running out of money is my proudest achievement," she said. "We've had to make really unpopular decisions, but whoever takes control of the council, they'll have exactly the same problem, because unless we're better funded, then we'll have to keep cutting and cutting and cutting. "If my legacy is that we've been the ones that have steered the ship through the worst four years of local government finance ever, then I'm happy with that, I'll accept it." For the past eight years, Picton has been the Conservative councillor for the Tern division near Shrewsbury. Her plans for retirement include taking a gap year and spending more time with her family. Local elections take place on 1 May. Follow BBC Shropshire on BBC Sounds, Facebook, X and Instagram. No new year optimism at struggling council Council to make £22.8m savings in financial year Council seeking permission to sell off property Shropshire Council's budget 2025/26
BBC News
04-03-2025
- Politics
- BBC News
Shropshire: Consultation to decide fate of 61 payphones
The fate of 61 payphones across Shropshire is being is consulting until 12 June over the removal of public call boxes (PCBs) in the a stay of execution is possible. Traditional red kiosks may be adopted by charities and councils for various community uses, and while adoption is also possible for modern-style kiosks, they may only be used to house of the 61 kiosks are listed, meaning they would not be removed even if there is no interest in adoption, although they would be locked and have their telephony removed. The leader of Shropshire Council Lezley Picton said that further to the adoption "there is opportunity to share feedback with the council should there be a local view that a payphone in their area should remain operational"."This could include for example feedback about local flooding issues of which BT may be unaware, or ongoing concerns about its usefulness for helpline calls or calls from people needing to access emergency services or other essential services, who may not have a mobile phone."The consultation period has been extended in the light of the forthcoming local elections. Shropshire Council no longer has the power of veto over removals, after Ofcom made changes in June there is a set of criteria to assess reasonable user needs prior to the removal of a "last at a site" PCB. The criteria is set out to protect payphones where:They do not have coverage from all four mobile network providersThey are located in an area with a high frequency of accidents or suicidesThey have made 52 or more calls over the past 12 monthThere is other evidence of a reasonable need for the PCBCouncillors will issue a draft provisional review of the payphones after the elections on 1 May. Follow BBC Shropshire on BBC Sounds, Facebook, X and Instagram.
Yahoo
27-02-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Protests as council sets out case for relief road
A planned relief road would be a major economic boost to Shrewsbury, Shropshire Council has said. It has published a revised business case for the North West Relief Road, which estimates the scheme would cost £215m. Environmental campaigners held a protest before it was presented to a meeting at Shrewsbury's Guildhall on Thursday. Opposition parties announced earlier this month they would scrap the scheme if they take control of the authority after May's local elections. The draft Full Business Case updates a similar document published in November and sets out the possible benefits of the relief road. The council said it would reduce congestion in the town and shorten the average journey time across northern Shrewsbury by 17 minutes. It said this would also free up space on the roads for public transport and make it easier to walk and cycle. The council's business case estimated that for every £1 spent on the scheme, it would deliver economic benefits worth £3.88. It said this ranked the transport scheme among those categorised as being "high value in the country". The leader of the Conservative-run authority, Lezley Picton, said the draft document made a "very strong case to the UK government for support and investment". She also said the £38m of government money already spent on the plans would be wasted if it did not go ahead. But because local council elections are due to be held in May, there will be no chance for councillors to discuss the Full Business Case before the summer. Opposition councillors attending the meeting on Thursday said they were furious the document was published 35 minutes before it was due to be held. Some said they only discovered it had been published during the meeting. Liberal Democrat, Labour and Green groups have all said they want the scheme scrapped, claiming it is too expensive and will not solve traffic problems. Follow BBC Shropshire on BBC Sounds, Facebook, X and Instagram. Plan to scrap bypass revealed ahead of election 'Significant weakness' in relief road funding 'Relief road will cut crashes in our village' No commitment to relief road funding in MP meeting Shropshire Council
BBC News
27-02-2025
- Business
- BBC News
Protests as council sets out case for Shrewsbury relief road
A planned relief road would be a major economic boost to Shrewsbury, Shropshire Council has has published a revised business case for the North West Relief Road, which estimates the scheme would cost £ campaigners held a protest before it was presented to a meeting at Shrewsbury's Guildhall on parties announced earlier this month they would scrap the scheme if they take control of the authority after May's local elections. The draft Full Business Case updates a similar document published in November and sets out the possible benefits of the relief council said it would reduce congestion in the town and shorten the average journey time across northern Shrewsbury by 17 said this would also free up space on the roads for public transport and make it easier to walk and council's business case estimated that for every £1 spent on the scheme, it would deliver economic benefits worth £ said this ranked the transport scheme among those categorised as being "high value in the country".The leader of the Conservative-run authority, Lezley Picton, said the draft document made a "very strong case to the UK government for support and investment".She also said the £38m of government money already spent on the plans would be wasted if it did not go because local council elections are due to be held in May, there will be no chance for councillors to discuss the Full Business Case before the councillors attending the meeting on Thursday said they were furious the document was published 35 minutes before it was due to be said they only discovered it had been published during the Democrat, Labour and Green groups have all said they want the scheme scrapped, claiming it is too expensive and will not solve traffic problems. Follow BBC Shropshire on BBC Sounds, Facebook, X and Instagram.
