Shrewsbury: NHS is at the heart of election debate

Of all the issues batted about between candidates in this General Election campaign, few stir the blood quite like the NHS.

On a national level, Labour are jabbing the Conservatives with their record on the health service, and future plans for its role in public life.

And in Shropshire, so many candidates are promising to campaign to keep accident and emergency services in either Telford or Shrewsbury that one could easily imagine it will descend into an all-out pitched battle between supporters of each before May 7 comes around.

It is one of Shrewsbury's most valued assets and a key issue for those living in the town – and next month residents will be given the chance to have their say over its future.

The Quarry Swimming Pool has been the subject of a review by Shropshire Council, which will unveil the potential options for its future in early May.

The town centre site has been the subject of much debate with more than 1,000 people responding to a questionnaire organised by the Quarry Swimming and Fitness Forum.

Members of the public are expected to be given four options to consider as part of the review.

It is understood that two options would see the Quarry Swimming Pool refurbished, one giving it a minor "wash and brush up" refurbishment, and another a more extensive programme that would include replacement boilers and heating pipes.

Two other options will also be considered, one where a new complex is built on the existing Quarry site, but with two pools instead of three, and another where a new pool is built at the Battlefield Enterprise Park.

Keith Barrow, leader of Shropshire Council, said the authority understands the importance of the pool and wants as many people as possible to take part in the consultation.

He said: "To ensure an objective approach, we have commissioned leisure industry experts to do a detailed review of possible options to improve swimming in Shrewsbury.

"These include both improvements to the existing Quarry Pool as well as looking at alternative sites. The final report will be made public and will highlight against each option how they will increase physical activity, how accessible they will be, as well as cost to build and on-going running costs."

Councillor Barrow said they are committed to listening to the public feeling over the plans.

He said: "Once complete we want the public's views on the various options by as many different outlets as possible, including the local media – this is a promise we have made from the very beginning, and one I'm totally committed to. This consultation is planned to run for three months beginning in early May, giving people good time to consider the options and take part."

"The future of swimming in Shrewsbury is something many people are hugely passionate and engaged in – and rightly so. I spent years directly helping people learn to swim and I think it's important that the future generations in Shrewsbury are able to do the same, in top quality facilities."

Laura Davies is among those flying the flag for the Shrewsbury services. It's hardly surprising that she would put health at the top of her agenda – a qualified neurosurgeon, she was a doctor in the army for 10 years, initially as a medical cadet, before leaving to embark on her political campaign last year.

Lagging behind in third place with the bookies, she is hoping to capture the seat for the Labour Party, following in the footsteps of Paul Marsden, the first ever MP to win the seat for the party in 1997.

The Rugby-born doctor, who is currently teaching medical students in Birmingham alongside her campaign, talks the talk of a red-blooded socialist – and says she is "genetically Labour".

"I don't believe in the marketisation of certain areas, health being the obvious one. In fact the market has been shown to be prone to wild inconsistencies," she says.

"Health services in Shrewsbury are the number one issue. People are nervous as there's not been any solid plans put forward and it's on hold because there could a complete change of policy after the election.

"People are frightened about the fact services people rely on, all of a sudden they have to travel much longer to get to them.

"When new facilities are built there's the possibility under the Health and Social Care Act of them being picked off by the private sector. While I argue that having the other parties, especially Conservatives and Ukip saying we keep a free at the point of need NHS, I don't believe that free at the point of need but provided by a private company is actually good enough."

She adds: "People argue private companies will run things very efficiently. Actually, only the NHS would have coped with the overwhelming pressure of the winter crisis and they are to be congratulated, not criticised.

"They want to make efficiency savings to drive up profits, not necessarily to provide a better service. That's where the argument for privatisation comes unstuck. The area to save most money comes from cutting staff, and that can't be done in the NHS."

We're sitting in the Bellstone near to where Dr Davies, her partner, Dave, her son Art and their pair of Dobermans, Margot and Jerry, have moved into a second home to fight for the town's seat in parliament.

Her first taste of political life came when she was 18, when she spoke at the Labour Party Conference ("It's going to haunt me, isn't it?" she laughs. "I'm going to have a William Hague moment), before joining the army. However, with the Iraq War entering a new phase at the time she qualified, she never served a tour of duty – despite saying she wanted to.

As well as some long odds to overcome, she must also overcome a 13,000 vote shortfall on Conservative incumbent Daniel Kawczynski, to whom Labour finished third in 2010.

Last time, the Liberal Democrats divided the parties, but the bookies fancy Ukip to finish in second place this time.

Now the bookies see Lib Dem candidate Christine Tinker as a 100/1 outsider to land the seat, behind her Green counterpart Emma Bullard.

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But Ukip party secretary and manifesto author Suzanne Evans presents a formidable proposition.

A former Conservative councillor in Merton in London, she defected to Ukip two years ago in protest at her previous party's attitude to EU membership – although at the time reports linked the move to senior figures within the party describing anti-EU activists as "swivel-eyed loons".

"I helped launch the 2010 manifesto at Battersea Power Station," says the former BBC Shropshire reporter, whose father ran Roushill watchmaker Pleasance and Harper.

The economy, car parking charges, and making sure their town can keep its identity - those were the issues pressing on the minds of Shrewsbury voters ahead of next month's General Election.

There were other matters which concerned those quizzed as part of the Shropshire Star's election snapshot for the constituency of Shrewsbury and Atcham.

But Steve Elston, 58, who works at a builders merchants in Shrewsbury said he has no doubt about the main battleground for the forthcoming election.

He said: "The economy will probably be the biggest issue. I think the current Government has done a good job of bringing it back. I think it is what is going to win the election."

Jan Childs, a leadership coach from Shrewsbury, agreed that the economy would be vital and praised current MP Daniel Kawczynski for his work in promoting business in the town.

She said: "The economy has to be the fundamental issue.

"I think Daniel does a really good job because he does a lot of promoting of business in Shrewsbury.

"I would though like to see more high tech businesses brought into Shrewsbury.

"I also think there is a danger of complacency because we have so many things that are going well."

Mrs Childs said more could be also done to help businesses – by Government and landlords.

She said: "I would like to see business rates much lower. If you want to have a thriving town centre you need that. You also need to reduce rents. Landlords need to play fair with their rents. We do not have that many empty shops but we do have a few."

She added: "The town council also needs to look at reducing parking charges."

Ian Okell, 60, who owns two Subway stores in Shrewsbury, said the town had fared well over the past 12 months but that the next MP should do more to encourage people into the town centre.

He said: "I have a couple of shops so my big bugbear is parking and driving people out of the town.

"I think they make it difficult for people to park and they love putting a ticket on people and frightening them off - maybe forever.

"Basically we have to do what we can to get as many people as possible into the town.

"Rates and rent are always always an issue. They are doing a bit for that but they could always do more. Shrewsbury is not doing bad though, there aren't too many empty shops."

Shrewsbury Town Guide, Dave Cookson, 72, agreed that he wanted the issue of car parking tackled by the town's next MP.

He said: "I am more concerned about the tourism side. I am a town guide and a volunteer in the museum so tourism is a big item of interest.

"The car parking charges need to be addressed, especially the private car parks. It needs to be cheaper."

Another issue concerning residents is making sure that the town retains it's identity and is not harmed by too much development.

Louise Fletcher, 40, from Shrewsbury, said: "Shrewsbury, and Shropshire, has really started to come to light in the last 10 years. It is more cosmopolitan and a lot of work has gone into attracting the big stores, but because I have lived here since I was born I also don't want it to lose what Shrewsbury is. I live here because I love what Shrewsbury is and I have reservations about too much development. I feel we are suddenly exploding and I am quite nervous about the prospect."

Richard Franklin, 46, from Shrewsbury, added: "From a nice point of view Shrewsbury is a one off and it needs to keep its identity. We get a lot of tourists here, we have some great events like the busk and the cycling. We need to build on that, keep Shrewsbury as an individual place, and capitalise on what it is good at."

"It talked about resisting Europe. He tore that up and almost talks about enlargement, and that for me showed how much David Cameron was all talk and no action.

"The Conservatives also trumpeted localism, then they brought in the national planning policy framework, that created a presumption in favour of development and local people's wishes were ridden roughshod over.

"Something like the Harlescott Incinerator, under Ukip proposals, would not have been built."

Dr Davies also points to the ruling party's handle on the controversial incinerator when focusing on Mr Kawczynski's record – but also hits out at something of a sacred cow in Shropshire.

"He said he would lie down in front of the incinerator and lo and behold it's up and running," she said.

"The direct train link is a bit of a fallacy as you have to go through Birmingham, and it's faster to change in Birmingham. It's not really possible to commute on a daily basis anyway. It's a bit of a PR stunt. What really should be improved is the service from here to Birmingham as that is commutable in a day.

"That would enable people to live in Shrewsbury, and work in Birmingham which is a big employer.

"The train to London has been trumpeted as a huge advantage but the emphasis has been wrongly placed. Labour has a strong development plan for the West Midlands, to devolve regions more and prevent London from sucking in too much work and talent and maintaining the distribution of talent and industry throughout the country."

Mr Kawczynski, for his part, has been a high-profile campaigner for local issues, including for the London rail service, and as part of the Shropshire Star's Get Us Connected campaign to help improve mobile phone signal in the county.

The Ukip nominee also feels there is potential for the seat, a true blue Conservative stronghold, to change hands.

"It's a very interesting seat," Ms Evans added. "It's nearly an 8,000 majority over the Lib Dems. The Conservatives could lose a lot of votes, and we are picking them up from Labour too. It could be a very interesting three or four way fight."

She too is planning to fight for the continued provision of A&E services at the Royal Shrewsbury Hospital, but also says she is expecting to campaign on issues of development on green land.

"We will be looking at a specific programme to look at building on brownfield sites which the government has not pushed," she says.

"But I think the crucial thing is to keep A&E in Shrewsbury & Atcham open."

Out on the doorstep in the Castlefields area with Dr Davies, a traditionally Labour-supporting area of the town, the response appears mixed.

While some back Labour, with access to housing one issue that crops up among potential voters, others are less forthcoming.

"I'm not voting," snaps one lady before shutting the door abruptly. It's hard to envy politicians their lot at times.

But Dr Davies remains upbeat, and hopes to overhaul the Conservative majority by presenting herself as somebody with real world experience.

"I'm at 20/1 at the moment but I would like to think it would improve from there," she says. "The message I'm getting on the doorstep, and from people who have e-mailed me, is that it's time for a change round here.

"There's an atmosphere that people want a fresh face, and hopefully I can be that fresh face, be a little different, and bring NHS experience into the mix."

All four of Mr Kawczynski's opponents are female – so if any of them took the seat they would become the first woman ever to do so, and only the second female MP Shropshire has ever known.

At the Bellstone, Dr Davies slurps on a pint of Salopian bitter and considers her opponents.

"Ukip are a lot of PR, and are very light on policies," she says.

"They are playing on people's fears and while concerns about immigration are legitimate, we are net gainers in terms of EU migration. They pay tax, buy things and contribute much more to the economy than they take out.

"On things like agriculture and the EU, the CAP isn't perfect, but is probably at the moment the best way of ensuring that British farmers can work on a level playing field with their European counterparts.

"The debate is dominated by wonky bananas and trivial issues, but I don't think people realise how much Europe sides for communities, for infrastructure, for Britain's place in the world and that's a view that needs challenging, and to push why Europe is good for Britain."

While she describes Labour's plan to cut university tuition fees to £6,000 as "a start", she adds: "In the run-up to the election people are realising how cost of living is rising and wages are stagnating.

"Their children will be worse off than they are for the first time in a century. There's a shortage of affordable housing, generation rent are struggling. Labour is going to reform the private rental market and make things fairer for tenants. We are not going to give tax cuts to people earning over £150,000 which is absurd and unfair.

"Ukip can't have its cake and eat it. It's keen on withdrawing from the EU, but if it wants a free market economy and let market forces dictate what happens, you have to have market forces dictating the labour market in this country. They can't have it both ways.

"A lot of Ukip policies haven't been thought through."

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