Masterclass in Opaque Governance”
Or: How to Run a Council Without Letting the Public Know You’re Running It
Introduction:
In an age where “transparency” is the buzzword of the season, Shropshire Council appears to have mistaken it for a type of window glazing—something to be looked at, but never through. Over the past five years, a pattern has emerged: one of decisions made behind closed doors, paperwork withheld, costs spiralling without scrutiny, and residents left trying to piece together their local authority’s intentions using little more than council press releases and tea leaves.
Yet, the most astonishing feature in this civic vanishing act? The near-total inertia of the opposition benches, who’ve seemingly adopted the motto: “See no evil, hear no evil, ask no FOIs.”
🏗️ The £215 Million Road to Nowhere
Take the Shrewsbury North West Relief Road (NWRR) — or as it might be better known, The Grand Illusion. This project has ballooned in cost to £215 million, yet formal discussions by the Council Cabinet have been mysteriously absent. Councillor Rosemary Dartnall bravely labelled the handling “scandalous,” suggesting that openness and transparency are “not something the Council recognises.” A rare moment of dissent, quickly drowned out in the ambient noise of procedural platitudes.
✍️ The Typo That Cost £95 Million
In 2023, the Council found itself at the heart of what can only be described as a Monty Python sketch – only less funny and more expensive. A £95.3 million clerical error over funding triggered calls for resignations. And yet, much like their FOI inbox, those calls seem to have gone… unanswered.
This refers to a real incident reported in September 2023. Shropshire Council mistakenly claimed to have secured £95.3 million in government funding for the North West Relief Road in a published document. This was later revealed to be an error, described by the council as a “typographical mistake.”
The story triggered public outcry and calls for resignations, particularly from councillors who felt misled. It became emblematic of deeper concerns about competence, oversight, and transparency at the council. Did anyone resign? Of course not. At best the culprit(s) slithered off with a nice fat cheque ………… to cause havoc for another poor council.
🕵️♂️ FOI? More Like ‘Forget Our Information’
In May 2023, the Information Commissioner’s Office took formal action against Shropshire Council for its chronic failure to respond to Freedom of Information requests, with backlogs stretching to April 2021. Apparently, the council views information like fine wine – it improves with age, but you’re not allowed to touch it.
💷 60% on Contracts, 0% on Clarity
The leader of the opposition helpfully pointed out that 60% of the council’s budget is spent on external contracts. A bold claim — and one might imagine such a revelation would be followed by a detailed exposé, public demands for open tendering, or at least an FOI blitz. But alas, the critique fizzled into the ether, unsupported by any sustained campaign for actual transparency.
🙈 The Opposition: Quietly Watching the Show
While the ruling party clearly holds the steering wheel, the opposition has made little effort to demand directions—or even ask who’s driving. With rare exceptions, their response to questionable transparency practices has been tepid, procedural, and easily ignored.
No emergency motions. No fiery public statements. No walkouts, protests, or co-ordinated scrutiny. It’s as though “opposition” now means sitting across the room politely, waiting for the Council Leader to look up and ask, “Do you have anything to add?” (Spoiler: they rarely do.)
📢 Conclusion: Governance by Ghostlight
Shropshire Council’s approach to governance resembles a séance: lights dimmed, voices hushed, and only the chosen few allowed to speak. The public, meanwhile, are left knocking on locked committee doors, hoping someone will answer with more than a brochure.
And if you’re expecting the opposition to challenge that? Best not hold your breath — unless you’re trying to commune with the democratic spirit of Shropshire past.
We need Change We need Reform
The Alternative Council 