Councillor chosen as prospective parliamentary candidate for the Green Party

Councillor Isherwood said he was delighted to have been chosen by local party members for the role and was looking forward to campaigning with them whenever a general election is called.

"I’m proud to represent my community as their councillor and hope to be given the opportunity of being their MP," he said.

"We have never been in more need of Green voices speaking up for people and planet. The three old tired parties have had enough chances to deliver a fair, sustainable society that works well for everybody but they have failed again and again. The Green Party is the clear alternative for the change we need to happen."

Councillor Isherwood spoke about his disappointment at Arriva’s intention to close the bus depot in Oswestry and how it is symptomatic of a broken public transport system in Shropshire.

He said: "I believe Shropshire Council’s bids for funding for their bus improvements schemes have failed because the DfT doesn’t see a sound record they can invest in. We now understand that Arriva’s decision has come partly because their business has been undermined by SC reducing concessionary fares by a third, to a level considerably below other authorities.

"This clearly undervalues the people of Shropshire who need a reliable, affordable bus service to get to work or to access health and other services, which is why getting a better deal for Shropshire on public transport is one of my campaign priorities. We need to put the wheels back on because the current situation isn’t working for bus passengers or companies."

The co-ordinator of the North Shropshire Green Party, Wendy Armour said: "We are delighted to have Councillor Mike Isherwood as our Prospective Parliamentary Candidate. He has shown himself to be a really hard-working councillor and a genuine, caring person committed to doing his best for people.

"We have great confidence in his ability to make a difference through his work on the urgent need to tackle climate change and taking every opportunity to improve the lives of residents."