Frustrations have been voiced by councillors in Oswestry following the latest update on Future Fit.

A public consultation on the shake-up of emergency care across Shropshire, Telford and Wrekin is due to be launched immediately.

However, members of the town council said a decision needs to be made soon.

Councillor Sandy Best called on the Shropshire Clinical Commissioning Group and its Telford and Wrekin counterpart to host consultation events in Oswestry, adding: "We've already attended a number of public consultations and this has already cost £4.5 million - I cannot believe we have to go through this again."

The Mayor, Councillor Vince Hunt, added: "The money could have been used to build a new hospital by now."

Councillor Duncan Kerr called on officials of Future Fit and also the Defend Our NHS action group to attend a council meeting, adding: "There is going to be a diminution of services at the Royal Shrewsbury Hospital and that is the most concern to us."

But he also voiced concerns over the £312 million of funding which was announced by the Department of Health in March to help fund the changes that will see emergency care based solely at either the RSH or the Princess Royal Hospital in Telford.

Cllr Kerr added: ""The money is nothing but a loan which will have to be repaid by the people of Shropshire."