Times of change....

I would like to thank everyone in Oswestry who gave me support and encouragement in the South Oswestry election. The Green party doesn’t get funding from unions or big business but what we lack in resources we certainly make up for in passion and hard work. That may go some way to explaining why nearly half of all voters supported the call for change by going Green. But elections are not just about voting, on the doorsteps of South Oswestry local residents used the campaign to raise many issues that had been bugging them so I thought I'd share a few of these with you and explain what I intend to do.

Mr “A” has lived in Roft Street for many years and his wife is now in poor health and needs frequent trips to the Doctors and hospital. With few car-parking spaces available in the area he'd like to pay for a permit to use Central Car Park overnight. I not only supported his request I'd go further. Why I asked at last Town Council meeting do residents have to pay to park in Oswestry in the evening and night when in Shrewsbury the car parks are free? Unfortunately neither of these suggestions found favour with enough Councillors to win the day, indeed by a single vote the Town Council even refused to investigate the issue, but rest assured I won't let it drop. If you agree with Mr A maybe you would like to ask your own Town Councillor which way they voted, and why.

The “B” family had another traffic issue. They live on Edward Street which is often a rat run for cars racing to beat the lights on the Church St junction. Drivers may be saving seconds but children going to school would be much safer, and healthier if Shropshire Council yield to resident demands for 20mph speed limits on all our town centre residential roads. Research across the country has shown that “20s plenty” in areas where people live doesn't just avoid accidents it actually improves the economy of a town and encourages walking and cycling. For motorists it might add a few seconds to journey times but it would mean the removal of those speed bumps.

Mrs “C” continues to be concerned about members of the public no longer being able to use the playing fields of Oswestry school without paying a charge. You may have seen this featured in the Tizer recently. She agrees that banning dogs from playing fields is a necessity because of the genuine risk of disease, but feels it is a pity for residents without dogs to lose a benefit they have enjoyed for years. I agree and have contacted the Headmaster on her behalf to see if we can secure a compromise.

Mrs “D” is not as young as she used to be and has been intimidated by a group of youngsters who throw stones and kick balls near the window of her flat. She lives near the Centre in Oak St which used to employ outreach youth workers who were pro-active at seeking out young people such as these and diverting them from anti-social behaviour. However theses are the sort of youth services which we are losing leaving our overstretched police to respond.

That brings me to the latest news from the new Leader of Shropshire Council who has painted a very grim picture of the future for everyone in Shropshire with the Council ending all spending not only on youth services but also on parks, leisure, community development and tourism whilst cutting libraries and highways as well in a bid to save £77M. By going cap in hand to the Government he secured an extra £8.5M over 4 years far short of the £20M he says he needed. When Cllr Barrow was the Leader I asked the Council what the impact of his zero Council tax increase policy had been. The reply said that if Council Tax had been pegged to the inflation rate then the Council would have an extra £15M this year alone. So where has this money gone?, In effect in a subsidy disproportionately favouring those in the very largest properties who have saved many hundreds of pounds in Council tax bills.

By pursuing a political dogma, Shropshire Council is now on the edge of a financial disaster that will return our communities to a pre-Victorian era where there are no parks or leisure facilities, something that not even two world wars or a world depression could achieve. It will take a lot of work to turn it round but although I have only been a member for a week, I've already seen enough tax-payers money wasted on refreshments and Councillor comforts to know that savings can be made.

Five years ago the Government advised Council that the best way to save money was to share back-office services like accountancy, legal and benefit administration. It was calculated that this policy would save the country £2Bn. At the time Shropshire Council said it was considering it and five years later it is still pondering. Before one park, leisure centre or library is shut I want to be shown that we have secured all the efficiency gains possible from sharing back office functions as well as axing the failed IP+E company that the Council has loaned £500,000 to. Before cutting front-line services that residents rely on the Council must take a long hard look at its own performance.

You can call all of these Green Polices or you might recognise them as simple common sense coupled with a passion and commitment to do the very best for our communities. It's the same spirit we saw this weekend with hundreds of people hugging our Hill fort and members of Chalk delivering a lorry load of donated clothing and camping equipment to the refugees in Calais. All those “huggers” and all those materials were donated by local people. I know because the donations filled Hermon Chapel Arts Centre from the floor to the balcony resulting in a cancelled show! Don't let anyone tell you that the people of Oswestry do not care. We have barrel loads of creativity, imagination and commitment. Hopefully we will start seeing those in leadership positions doing their bit to turn our good town into a great one.

Take care and have hope,

Cllr Duncan Kerr