POLITICIANS have reacted with dismay after Oswestry was once again overlooked for Government Levelling Up cash.

Last August the council submitted four projects worth a total of £104 million, as part of the Government’s LUF round 2, for Oswestry, Craven Arms, Shrewsbury and for public transport around the county.

Shrewsbury has been the only bid to be approved, and was given £18million for its new riverside development, while the the council will continue to lobby government, and where possible seek alternative sources of funding, to help make these important plans happen for the other areas.

Helen Morgan MP, said the Government had once again prioritised its political agenda over the needs of communities.

She continued: "People in Oswestry deserve Government support but instead they have been taken for granted by the Conservatives once again.

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"Families in North Shropshire are sick of larger towns and cities being prioritised at their expense.

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"Yet again the Government seems to have ignored the evidence, ignored the needs of rural areas and prioritised the Conservative political agenda."

The council's bids for LUF were meant to regenerate and revitalise the town as well as to reinvigorate public transport across Shropshire, unfortunately these were unsuccessful.

For Oswestry, funding was sought for the regeneration of the town through a package of impactful projects, alongside complementary initiatives, that will create a more sustained, revitalised town which will better serve residents, businesses, the rural hinterland and cross border communities.

Lezley Picton, Leader of Shropshire Council, called the decision "on one hand very welcomed, but on the other very disappointing".

She said: "Our schemes for Craven Arms and Oswestry predate levelling up and we will continue to seek alternative sources of funding to enable them and our public transport overhaul to progress; we’ll review any opportunities to bid for these again to ensure these can happen as quickly as possible.

"However, we had held very high hopes for all four bids, particularly our bus bid that would impact across all of Shropshire, and we were confident of receiving even better news than we have done.

"We want to create a healthy economy, stimulate jobs and growth in our towns and to support Shropshire businesses" she continued "And we want to reinvigorate public transport in the county because we know that for many residents in Shropshire’s vast rural areas good public transport services is vital to get them to work, leisure and social activities, medical appointments or college."