Shropshire MPs' column - the latest from the county's representatives in Westminster
Read the latest column from the MP for Shrewsbury, Julia Buckley.
Shimmering tinsel and pretty decorations are everywhere… and of course those perennial festive songs that seem to be playing in every shop you pop into!
Yes, ‘tis the season to be jolly!
But it’s also a time to look back over the last 12 months and take stock.
For me, as your MP, this means assessing the work I’ve done, and noting some principal achievements.
So I’ve come up with my top five wins for 2025.
EDUCATION – Extra money and breakfast clubs: I was thrilled that we were able to secure extra money for Shrewsbury Academy in Corndon Crescent. The money was made available through the Government’s RISE (Regional Improvement for Standards and Excellence) programme and will provide a real boost.
More good news came this year in the shape of the Government’s new Breakfast Clubs. Among the 750 state schools with primary aged children selected to join the pilot scheme were Oakmeadow Primary School in Bayston Hill, one of five schools across Shropshire.
HEALTH – New wards and improved waiting times: Lots of great news for Royal Shrewsbury Hospital. The recent opening of new wards at the hospital is just part of some truly exciting improvements. These new wards are the latest phase in the multi-million-pound Hospital Transformation Programme at RSH.
It’s also good to be able to report that our hospital trust has been announced as the most improved nationally for reducing waiting times for planned care. The Trust has achieved a 14 per cent improvement in its 18-week referral to treatment performance between April and September.
TRANSPORT – Shrewsbury Night Bus and direct trains update: The Shrewsbury Night Bus trial, which I secured by working with partners in the sector, has proven really popular, possibly leading the way to more services in the New Year. Also, I am delighted to confirm that Wrexham, Shropshire and Midlands Railway (WSMR) has resubmitted its plans for a new service between Wrexham and London Euston. The revised bid proposes four trains each way daily, including three direct trains per day from Shrewsbury to London. I’ll continue to do everything I can to support this.
WATER – Recent flooding has once again shown why Shrewsbury needs long-term flood resilience, not repeated crisis management. That’s why I highlighted in Parliament the findings of my Environmental Audit Committee’s Flood Resilience Report, which I helped lead and which features Shrewsbury as a case study. I pressed ministers to act on a prevention-first approach and give vulnerable communities the protection they deserve.
CASEWORK – My team and I have researched and responded to 15,000 casework items this year, helping my constituents with their individual problems and concerns.
Let me end by wishing all my constituents a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.
