Question
Shropshire council is in receipt of exceptional financial support following 16 years of disastrous Conservative mismanagement and a settlement from the Government that reduces its central allocation over the next three years. The issue for the council is that any council tax rises it opts for in future will cover only the repayment terms of that exceptional financial support, and will not allow for any financial restructuring. We are clearly in an unsustainable situation, so will the Minister meet me to discuss the terms of the exceptional financial support?
Answer
As I said, the average rural council will see an increase in core spending power of 21.1%; Shropshire itself will see an increase of 13.8%. I do understand that councils that find themselves in need of exceptional financial support are at the point at which they need the Government to stand behind them in one way or another. I would be very happy to meet the hon. Lady to talk in further detail about what more we can do.
Verdict: GREEN (76/100)
The reply directly answers the question about whether the Minister will meet the MP, committing to a meeting to discuss the matter further. It also acknowledges that councils needing exceptional financial support require Government backing. However, it does not set out the specific terms or position of Shropshire's support, so the MP may still want more detail on the financial situation itself.
How we got there
| Question item | Coverage | Specificity | Rationale |
|---|---|---|---|
| Will the Minister meet the MP to discuss the terms of exceptional financial support for Shropshire Council? | Addressed | Direct | The item asks whether the Minister will meet the MP, and statement 4 directly commits to a meeting with the hon. Lady to discuss further, which answers the question. Statement 3 acknowledges that councils needing exceptional financial support require Government backing, which bears on the item's subject, though the reply does not discuss the specific terms of Shropshire's support. |