Shropshire Council leader Lezley Picton has warned opposition groups it’s time to “stop throwing bricks” as the authority deals with its ongoing financial crisis.

The comments came after opposition councillors agreed to work together with the ruling Conservative group to figure out Shropshire Council’s budget challenges for next year.

The regular “alternative budget” process where opposition groups draw up their own proposals will be suspended as instead a specially convened committee made up from all political groups on the council will consider finance proposals for the coming financial year.

The cross party “budget task and finish group” will meet fortnightly from September until December to review the council’s budget, ahead of a financial settlement from central government which is expected in late December. A final budget will then be approved in February 2025.

The move was welcomed by opposition groups at Shropshire Council, tempered with a degree of scepticism, with Labour group leader Councillor Rosemary Dartnall accusing the Conservative administration of being “stunned” and “unable to reduce costs at the necessary speed.”

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“Having guarded all decision making until now the Conservative administration asks opposition groups to work cross party in setting the budget for the coming financial year,” she said.

“It’s a great shame an open and frank cross-party approach was not offered before now.”

The move was also welcomed by Liberal Democrat group leader Roger Evans, who described the move as being “many years in coming” but he also warned that his group would pull out if opposition groups were not given full access to the council’s books as part of the process.

“We want to be an equal partner and if we’re not treated as an equal partner then we will be withdrawing. We are going into this with eyes wide open of where this council is because of the position that’s been adopted by certain groups within this council since 2009,” he said.

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Green leader Julian Dean said his group would participate, but warned “elections have consequences” and said the ruling Conservative administration should take responsibility for the council’s financial position.

“In the past we’ve undertaken an alternative budget process which in my humble opinion has not been particularly successful and I would like to think that going forward for next year we are stronger together, ” said council leader Lezley Picton.

She later added: “At some point the opposition groups are going to have to stop throwing bricks and come to understand the difficulties and the work that goes into making this council continue to function. That is one of the reasons to bring you on board.”