'Spring budding privacy shrubs' does not convey any particular shrub or bush to me, and I don't know it from the pictures. I am guessing, but I think 'mid spring' might have been back in the middle of April, have the leaves been in that state for nearly two months, or is it getting progressively worse? If the latter I would wonder if there is some other problem, such as disease creeping in on the back of frost damage.
You say there are new buds, that is promising, my first reaction would not to be to cut back budding branches, but to remove all the stuff that looks dead, dying, decaying, or generally wrong and burn it in case it is harbouring something. It is standard practice for roses, but it is not a bad idea for any shrub. You will then be able to see if the plant develops healthy growth or if new growth is also being affected.
In brief; I am not au fait with your particular shrub, but as a general rule with shrubs I would clean them up, but I would not go pruning shrubs heavily until after they had flowered.
It is quite probable that someone more local to you will come along, but I have noticed that replies are not always immediate. I also notice that what goes around comes around. Those who post in general discussion threads rather than only in a thread about their own problem are naturally noticed more.
Welcome to the community, I do hope you get more precise answers and also have things to offer, and that I see you around the place in the future.
