Campaigners still confident of saving Bishop's Castle services

With doubt hanging over the fate of the children's centre and uncertainty over the library and community information point, both in Enterprise House, a rallying call has gone out for the community to once again fight for funding to enable services to continue.

The success of the fundraising for SpArC was given as one example of how residents have got behind other campaigns.

"We know that Shropshire Council is in extreme financial difficulties," said veteran campaigner and retired Community College headmaster, David Preshous.

"But I believe that with goodwill and strong community support, we will work it out. After all, we have before.

"We have had proposals threatening the college, the hospital, the care home and the SpArC centre, but all of them are flourishing."

"Key to all these examinations is the fact that Bishop’s Castle is the centre of a very remote rural area. If a service is withdrawn, the impact is huge over some 200 square miles. Transport costs are huge and, bluntly, the council would faced with very significant costs.

"And the community has always demonstrated its support – well, its appreciation of these facilities. The huge sums raised for the SpArC demonstrate this."

David said Bishop Castle's location made it a hub of South West Shropshire, where people from a wide area come to access services. Enterprise House, for example, has provided support to 140 businesses in the last 12 months and has a footfall of 40,000 a year.

Enterprise South West Shropshire chairman Peter Phillips said: "Although we get a number of different funds from the council, it all goes together to support our work.

"If any one bit of money is withdrawn, it hits everything else. Funds are separated out by the council, but our staff are indivisible.

"We spent two years working with the council to sort out the current satisfactory arrangements. I have no doubt that we shall be able to so again."

David is also confident that arrangements can be reached with Shropshire Council to secure the future of Enterprise House and the children's centre.

He added: "The idea that the library may close is most alarming, and I am sure that both Shropshire Council and the local community would find a way through this - even more so if Enterprise House’s fate is tied in with it.

"As with all the other proposals over the years, we would maintain that our isolation means that costs would be too great in withdrawing facilities."