Transport and homes 'crisis' highlighted in Ludlow
There is a growing crisis in transport, housing and youth services in Ludlow, it has been claimed.
Churches Together Around Ludlow, a group made up of various Christian denominations in the town, has released an updated Ludlow Under Pressure report looking at the impact of cuts on the town's most vulnerable.
The original Ludlow Under Pressure report was drawn up in 2012, and the update, subtitled Hope in Troubled Times, notes the trends that were clear then have continued.
Ludlow town councillors, including the town's mayor Paul Draper, have praised the report for drawing attention to the issues facing the town.
The report, edited by Neil Richardson, says: "Rising levels of social need remain, urgent as ever, and the resources to meet them continue to be cut back – drastically so.
"In many areas of its life Shropshire is approaching a crisis point. Two years on there is good reason for concern."
The document looks at four areas of concern – older people at risk, those aged 16 to 24, transport and housing.
It says there is likely to be a doubling of those over 85 by 2020, and yet with grants to bodies such as Age UK reduced, council services under pressure, NHS services being re-configured and ever more impending cuts the voluntary sector can not meet the shortfall.
It says youth leaders are overworked, feel isolated and unsupported, and while good work continues in the town there are grave concerns over its future.
In transport, Ludlow buses are now all easy access, but frequency of town services has been reduced, as have Shropshire Link rural services.
Meanwhile it is "still a depressing scene" with regard to "a dire shortage of social and affordable housing" in the town, with a minimal amount included in recent planning applications. But South Shropshire Housing Association continues to do good work the report says.
It concludes that, while church schemes such as food banks and fuel poverty funds are helping, there needs to be wider action.
"This report points to ways in which we can do what we can. . . to relieve hardship by helping to develop projects, but also campaigning for policies which would make for a more equal and fairer society," it says.
"If churches in Ludlow are to help shape our future as a community it cannot be left to the small group who have tried to encourage some programme of action and who take responsibility for this report. "The vision and the energy required to make more than a modest contribution have to be widely shared."
The report can be viewed at www.ctludlow.org.uk/ludlow_under_pressure.html
