North Shropshire Conservatives

North Shropshire Conservatives Official page of the North Shropshire Conservative Association. Local action. Conservative values.

Promoted by Paul Wynn on behalf of NSCA, Sambrook Hall, 28 Noble Street, Wem, Shropshire, SY4 5DZ

Accountability works both ways.The Liberal Democrats have been very happy to blame Conservatives for Shropshire Council’...
29/08/2026

Accountability works both ways.

The Liberal Democrats have been very happy to blame Conservatives for Shropshire Council’s financial problems.

But when given the opportunity to put that argument directly to the person who was actually responsible for the Council during part of that period, they chose not to take part.

Instead, we’ll hear from former Council Leader Keith Barrow, who will be interviewed by the BBC about the decisions made during his time in office and the very different picture he says has been presented since.

That’s exactly what should happen.

There should be no fear of scrutiny. No hiding behind political statements. No selective version of history.

If the Lib Dems believe the Conservatives are responsible for today’s financial position, they should be willing to make that case openly, and answer the questions that come with it.

Residents deserve openness, accountability and the full facts.

If you’re going to blame the past, you should also be prepared to defend the present.

Helen Morgan MP says that the number of new houses being built or planned in North Shropshire “without the necessary inf...
28/08/2026

Helen Morgan MP says that the number of new houses being built or planned in North Shropshire “without the necessary infrastructure to support them” is a “huge concern.”

We agree.

But the Liberal Democrats run Shropshire Council.

So three simple questions for Helen:

Does she think her own party’s administration is getting this right?

If not, what is she doing to challenge them?

Will she publicly call on the Lib Dem council to ensure infrastructure keeps pace with development?

North Shropshire doesn’t need politicians saying one thing while their own party does another.

Helen says it’s a huge concern. We simply want to know what she’s going to do about it.

Across the area, residents are reporting drains that are heavily blocked with leaves, mud and rubbish.After a prolonged ...
27/08/2026

Across the area, residents are reporting drains that are heavily blocked with leaves, mud and rubbish.

After a prolonged period of dry weather, the forecast heavy rain means these drains need to be clear and working properly. If they aren’t, water has nowhere to go, increasing the risk of localised flooding and putting homes, roads and businesses at risk.

And this comes after months of residents raising concerns about overflowing bins, litter and the general cleanliness of our streets.

Keeping our drains, streets and public spaces properly maintained isn’t an optional extra, it’s a basic responsibility of local government.

Shropshire Council needs to get on top of this before heavy rain turns a maintenance problem into a flooding problem.

Are the drains near you blocked? Let us know where you are seeing problems in the comments or send us a message.

A massive well done to everyone at Oswestry Balloon Carnival for putting on such an amazing show! Oswestry is incredibly...
23/08/2026

A massive well done to everyone at Oswestry Balloon Carnival for putting on such an amazing show!

Oswestry is incredibly lucky to have such a brilliant event, bringing so much colour, fun and excitement to the town.

A huge thank you to all the organisers, volunteers and everyone involved in making it happen.

What a fantastic weekend!

There’s been a lot of talk about “Tory financial mismanagement” at Shropshire Council and plenty of accusations aimed at...
21/08/2026

There’s been a lot of talk about “Tory financial mismanagement” at Shropshire Council and plenty of accusations aimed at us from opposition parties.

But even the CIPFA report doesn’t tell such a simple story.

It identifies rising social care costs and historic Council Tax freezes as significant factors affecting Council finances, as well as funding cuts from central government.

And some important history is being ignored.

When Council Tax was frozen between 2010 and 2016, the Government provided Council Tax Freeze Grant funding to support councils doing so. It was actively encouraged.

During that period, Shropshire Council also increased its general reserves from around £2.6m to approximately £28m while delivering significant savings. Something else the current administration likes to forget.

Were the freezes completely without consequences? No. That’s a legitimate debate.

But blaming today’s financial crisis simply on decisions made more than a decade ago is far too simplistic.

Shropshire has since had years of Council Tax increases, a growing tax base and huge increases in demand for services, particularly social care.

The current administration needs to take responsibility for the decisions being made today, rather than rewriting history to explain them.

Statement from North Shropshire Conservatives on CIPFA ReportAcknowledging the past and being honest about the presentTh...
19/08/2026

Statement from North Shropshire Conservatives on CIPFA Report

Acknowledging the past and being honest about the present

The publication of the CIPFA report into Shropshire Council’s finances is an important moment, and as Conservatives we should be prepared to listen to its findings.

NSCA are not going to pretend that every decision made while Conservatives were responsible for the council was perfect. There were difficult decisions, and there are lessons for everyone who has had responsibility for Shropshire’s finances.

But it would also be wrong to accept the suggestion that the council’s current financial position is simply the result of Conservative mismanagement.

The CIPFA report makes clear that Shropshire’s financial difficulties are rooted in a number of factors, including structural deficits, rapidly increasing demand for adult social care and inadequate funding. It also identifies accounting practices which obscured the underlying position.

The council was legally required to set a balanced budget, and the Conservative administration took decisions within that framework. Decisions around Council Tax, for example, were made in the context of Government incentives to freeze council tax and significant financial pressures being felt by households across Shropshire.

We accept our share of responsibility. We do not accept responsibility for everything.

Most importantly, residents deserve honesty about where we are now.

The current Lib Dem administration inherited a balanced budget. It subsequently made spending commitments and election promises which have proved difficult to fund, and the council has now had to seek substantial financial assistance from Government.

That is not something that can simply be blamed on the previous administration.

The CIPFA report should be a starting point for understanding how Shropshire got here, not another political weapon for rewriting the history of the council’s finances.

As Conservatives, we will acknowledge where we got things wrong, learn the lessons and continue to hold the current administration to account for the decisions it is making today.

Shropshire’s financial future is too important for party politics to get in the way of the truth.

Is speeding an issue where you live?Speeding is something we hear about regularly, but we want to know what it’s like in...
18/08/2026

Is speeding an issue where you live?

Speeding is something we hear about regularly, but we want to know what it’s like in your area.

Are vehicles regularly travelling too fast on your road? Are there particular roads, junctions or times of day where speeding is a problem?

We want to hear from residents across North Shropshire.

Tell us where you live and what you’re experiencing in the comments.

Your feedback will help us understand where the problems are and where action may be needed

A night of mixed emotions after a hard fought campaign in Oswestry! First and foremost, commiserations to Stefan Varlink...
13/08/2026

A night of mixed emotions after a hard fought campaign in Oswestry!

First and foremost, commiserations to Stefan Varlinkov who was unlucky not to clinch success in the Gatacre ward seat. You should be proud of the campaign you fought!

Congratulations go to the new Cllr Les Maguire who won on the Cabin Lane seat for Oswestry Town Council. We know you’ll work hard for your residents!

Thank you to all volunteers and supporters for everything during the campaign!

13/08/2026

Thank you team North Shropshire!

It’s polling day In Oswestry for the Cabin Lane and Gatacre wards on Oswestry Town Council.Our candidates have a strong ...
13/08/2026

It’s polling day In Oswestry for the Cabin Lane and Gatacre wards on Oswestry Town Council.

Our candidates have a strong history of helping residents in the wards, even before this election. Choose the candidates who’ll work hard for you!

Best of luck to Les Maguire and Stefan Varlinkov!

If you’re heading off to vote then please don’t forget your ID.

Address

Noble Street
Wem

Website

Alerts

Be the first to know and let us send you an email when North Shropshire Conservatives posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Shortcuts

Share

Category