As a resident of Cheswardine, many of the issues residents have raised with me when I knock on doors are exactly what I and my family face: potholes, speeding, and the lack of public transport and health care provision.

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Many of these are the direct responsibility of Shropshire Council, who all too often forget about our rural communities.

This is the very reason I am standing at this election. I care about our amazing villages; they are the lifeblood of Shropshire and he wants them to be properly represented at the council.

There is widespread anger and frustration with UK politics at the moment; we are all giving more and receiving less. Shropshire Council has been on the verge of bankruptcy for several years, yet our bills continue to rise whilst our services are being cut. It is understandable that many have asked me, ‘What are you going to do about it?’ My response is simple: get back to the basics.

Over the past 16 years, the Conservative-led Shropshire Council has demonstrated consistent mismanagement of our finances and services and without any clear leadership or direction, the dedicated efforts of council employees have been wasted pursuing badly conceived projects. It was this administration that spent £17,000 a day on cost cutting consultants.

A Liberal Democrat council will focus on providing fundamental council services that are fair for the whole of Shropshire. It’s not going to be easy but I am certainly ready for the task. Every department will be reviewed to ensure it is the right deal for all of us. With my experience as a former school leader, I am well-equipped to voice concerns, ask difficult questions and tackle underperformance head-on.