Shropshire v Telford: The bickering must stop now, insists MP Owen Paterson

The North Shropshire MP said the two areas had regularly fought over several issues during his spell as a politician – including a number of battles over health services and where they would be based.

He made the claim during a Parliamentary debate into the Future Fit process on Wednesday night. It comes just weeks after he led calls for Shropshire Council and Telford & Wrekin Council to merge.

Mr Paterson said he was delighted that health minister David Mowat had stepped in to appoint an independent chairman for the joint meetings of Shropshire and Telford & Wrekin clinical commissioning groups.

It is hoped it will remove a hurdle so that a decision can finally be made on the future of accident and emergency services in the county.

The announcement was made at a parliamentary debate on Wednesday night secured by Shrewsbury MP Daniel Kawczynski.

Mr Paterson congratulated his colleague on the debate which, he said, was how Parliament should work.

"The bickering between Shrewsbury and Telford has dogged my nearly 20 years in Parliament," he said.

"I like the idea that the two existing A&Es carry on providing 80 per cent of their current work, albeit, possibly renamed as urgent care centres while we get a new, £300 million emergency care centre.

"Some of my rural areas look to Shrewsbury, some to Telford, but we will also gain from urgent care centres being built in the rural areas.

"What is utterly exasperating for my constituents is this indecision. We have had three years, £3 million spent and still no decision."

At the last joint meeting of Shropshire and Telford & Wrekin clinical commissioning groups in December, members failed to reach agreement on a preferred option to base an emergency care A&E unit at the Royal Shrewsbury Hospital.