We must keep power
Much has been both printed and spoken by many parties about a unitary council for Shropshire but may I remind all who live in our county that in 2001/02 a very successful Save Our Shropshire campaign was run.
Much has been both printed and spoken by many parties about a unitary council for Shropshire but may I remind all who live in our county that in 2001/02 a very successful Save Our Shropshire campaign was run, which truly needled that champion of regionalisation - John Prescott.
What we proposed then is what we will have if we all vote for a unitary council for Shropshire.
At the time, we said, we are opposed to a Birmingham regional assembly and we support the campaign to give more powers to local people in Shropshire.
Labour and the Liberal Democrats had already started to break up the United Kingdom, next they wanted to divide England into regions.
They then wanted to hand over real power to a distant Birmingham assembly and effectively abolish Shropshire.
The Conservatives were then pledged not just to safeguard Shropshire but to strengthen it by giving more powers and responsibility to local people.
That is what we are doing today because regionalisation does not come into the area of the current negotiations.
This was part of my original election manifesto and I still stand by it.
James Gibson, County Councillor for Church Stretton Electoral Division, Church Stretton
