Telford and Wrekin Council: local authority assessment

How we assess local authorities

Assessment published: 15 November 2024

About Telford and Wrekin Council

Demographics

Telford and Wrekin is a place of contrasts: Originally designed as a commuter ‘new’ town for some of the bigger cities in the Midlands, the town has a mix of urban and rural areas and now sees itself as a ‘young’ town. The 2021 census shows the rapid expansion of housing in the area has led to an influx of working-age people attracted by the local economy and facilities. In addition, longer-term residents are ageing, with a 51.8% increase in people aged 70 - 74 in the last 10 years and 20.5% of the local population identify as living with a disability. The total population in 2022 was 188,870 people, an 11.4% increase over 10 years, and continues to grow above national rates.

Telford and Wrekin has areas of relative affluence, as well as areas of significant deprivation, with 24.9% of the population living in the 20% most deprived areas nationally. On the Index of Multiple Deprivation, Telford and Wrekin has a score of 6 (with 10 being the highest and most deprived).

Life expectancy in Telford and Wrekin is lower than the national average, with men expected to live 78.0 years (England average 79.3 years) and women expected to live 82.1 years (England average 83.1 years). However, this varies significantly between the most and least deprived areas, with women having an inequality in life expectancy of 6.4 years and men 8.8 years.

Ethnicity data shows 88.19% of the population is White British or White other, with 5.43% Asian and 2.88% Black, Caribbean, or African. However, the non-British population in the area has increased by 10.5% in the last 10 years and is becoming increasingly more diverse.

Telford and Wrekin is part of the Shropshire, Telford and Wrekin Integrated Care System (ICS) which is the smallest in England. The local authority has a strong borough-based partnership with other key stakeholders, as well as Shropshire local authority which makes up the remainder of the ICS.

Telford and Wrekin has a stable, Labour-led administration, winning a further majority in May 2023.

Financial facts

• The local authority estimated in 2022-2023, its total budget would be £310,398,000. Its actual spend for the year was £326,774,000, which was £16,376,000 more than estimated.
• The local authority estimated it would spend £62,026,000 of its total budget on Adult Social Care in 2022-2023. Its actual spend was £71,349,000, which was £9,323,000 more than estimated. 
• In 2022-2023, 22% of the budget was spent on Adult Social Care.
• The Local Authority has raised the full Adult Social Care precept for 2023-2024, with a value of 2%. Please note the amount raised through Adult Social Care precept varies from Local Authority to Local Authority.
• Approximately 2,475 people were accessing long-term Adult Social Care support, and approximately 1,360 people were accessing short-term Adult Social Care support in 2022-2023. Local authorities spend money on a range of Adult Social Care services, including supporting individuals. No two care packages are the same and vary significantly in their intensity, duration, and cost.

This data is reproduced at the request of the Department of Health and Social Care. It has not been factored into our assessment and is presented for information purposes only.