Council bucks trend with budget position

Lee Carter said he was proud of the council's financial position

While many councils have struggled to balance their budgets in the past year, Telford and Wrekin Council has said "strong management of budgets" and "innovative commercial work" have kept it on track.

A report that went before councillors this week outlined how it managed to stay within its budget, despite "very challenging times in local government".

The authority said it expects to bring in £43m through its property investment portfolio over the next four years and another £7m through its housing company.

But the councillor responsible for finance, Zona Hannington, said the council was under "no illusions" that it would face pressure from rising social care spending and other costs.

The leader of the Labour authority, Lee Carter, said he was "very proud that Telford & Wrekin Council continues to buck the trend".

He added that the council's commercial success had been supported by savings of £181.7m over the last 15 years and that he had a target of a further £13.1m of savings in the current financial year.