FEARS have been raised that a controversial health proposals will put lives at risk.

Oswestry town councillors have officially objected to NHS Shropshire Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG)'s Future Fit proposals to split A&E and planned care centres at Shropshire's two hospitals.

CCG bosses propose having A&E and urgent care based at either the Royal Shrewsbury Hospital or Prince Anne Hospital in Telford.

The trust's preferred option is to have A&E in Shrewsbury and urgent care in Telford.

Cllr Mike Coppock was concerned over how having one A&E would affect waiting times.

He questioned the idea of having one A&E for one of the largest counties in England, adding: "Surely it's going to risk lives and I would have thought that saving lives is the whole purpose of the NHS

"We should be finding ways of actually making the money work the best way it can for the people of the whole county, not just one part of the county."

Cllr Chris Schofield said he would like to keep pushing" for the urgent care centre to be in Oswestry.

He added that if there is going to be one A&E, then it should be in Shrewsbury.

Cllr Vince Hunt added that there had been an idea to have five minor injury units, but that it had been taken off the agenda.

He added: "I would like to see both kept. But I would certainly not like to see the Shrewsbury one close."

Mayor of Oswestry, councillor Sandy Best, voiced concerns over people having to travel to Telford.

She said: "All they seem to have managed to do so far is just use an awful lot of money.

"It's incompetence personified. It's not going to resolve anything. They have to listen to the people of Shropshire."

During the meeting, Oswestry resident John Bickerton asked why only six councillors attended a meeting about the consultation organised by the council.

Cllr Chris Schofield said that some councillors attend meetings every six weeks, which are chaired by North Shropshire MP Owen Paterson with health providers from the county.

"That may be one reason. A lot of people may have been on holiday," he added.

Councillors voted unanimously against the Future Fit proposals.