The BBC asked candidates in Shifnal South what their parties thought of Ann’s views.
Ed Bird, candidate for the Conservative Party, said it was natural that Shrewsbury received significant investment, as it was the county town and largest settlement.
He said Shifnal had seen considerable investment over the last four years, including the £3.6m enhancement scheme to the town centre.
He said there had been other investments including £101,000 from the Community Infrastructure Levy neighbourhood fund, a £1.2m investment programme at St Andrew’s School, and Stanton Road undergoing a full resurface.
He added there was still more to do.
“Shifnal is growing, and these investments show our town is not being left behind. I will continue to press for the improvements our community needs and deserves,” he said.
Charlotte Burgess-Bate, candidate for the Liberal Democrats, said she agreed that that Shropshire Council was too centralised, adding that it inevitably led to a bias towards key locations, while smaller and more rural areas missed out.
The Lib Dems would investigate decision-making behind the North West Relief Road, and would launch a new Shropshire Partnership, which would see the authority work with towns, parishes, communities and organisations to deliver services “more effectively and efficiently”.
She added that the party would “ensure residents’ needs are rightly put first”.
Jan Coulson, Labour candidate, said he agreed with Ann’s statement, and said it was not a new issue.
In a 2022 newsletter, the party wrote about Shifnal and Albrighton being “communities on the edge”, which said the areas were overlooked by the council.
He said a Labour-led council would reject special treatment for any part of the county “at the expense of another”.
He added that the town had been “taken for granted” and if elected would be an advocate for Shifnal’s share of resources.
Richard Leppington, on behalf of Reform UK, said the part could not give promises on proportions of money to be spent in individual areas, but it believed that a “huge amount” of money was wasted by Shropshire Council.
In the party’s first 100 days, it would set up a department of government efficiency and public accountability, to deliver immediate savings to be passed to residents in the form of better front line services.
He added that Shifnal would get its “fair share” of this bigger resource.
The Independent candidate has not responded to the BBC.
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