Social care focus as Lib Dems control council

A council has been formally handed over to the Liberal Democrats after 16 years of Conservative control.

Shropshire Council held its first full council meeting on Thursday at the Guildhall in Shrewsbury and the Lib Dems took charge as they have 42 councillors following victory in the local elections.

The Conservative group, which was previously in control ever since the council became a unitary authority in 2009, now only has seven councillors.

Two-thirds of the councillors elected are new to their roles, including the 15 representing Reform UK which is the main opposition group.

Heather Kidd is the council's new leader, with Alex Wagner as deputy.

"We've got to have the enthusiasm and the innovation to use our offices to find ways through," Ms Kidd said.

She added that the council must "not be afraid to shout at government when we need help."

"That is not a [Section] 114 notice - the help we need is around funding social care."

Such notices are admissions by councils that they can no longer balance the books, for example in Birmingham.

Shropshire Council was given extra support earlier this year after the previous administration declared itself "unbelievably close" to bankruptcy.

For the council, social care funding takes nearly four in every five pounds which the local authority spends.

The care includes things like fostering children, residential care placements, homelessness and special educational needs.

"It really is the big issue for the Labour government," Ms Kidd said.

Duncan Borrowman, who won the Llanymynech seat, was elected chairman of the council in Thursday's meeting.

He is known for being the landlord of the Bailey Head in Oswestry, which was named the Campaign for Real Ale's (Camra)'s UK pub of the year in January.

"I moved to Shropshire just under 10 years ago and had given up this local government lark and now all of a sudden I find myself chairing Shropshire Council," he said.

Mr Borrowman added that, as chairman, he had to be "fairly neutral" and "ensure all voices are heard".

"I'm very keen that the council operates as a centre for a debating forum about the policies and not like some sort of reality TV show where people are trying to score points off each other," he added.

Meanwhile, a coalition of climate and nature and anti-racism groups welcomed the councillors to their first meeting.

The groups called for the new administration to use its power to tackle the climate crisis and build a more sustainable future.

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