A prominent Powys border councillor has said it has “never been a more important time” to highlight problems of rural people after she was made an MBE.

Shropshire Councillor Heather Kidd, who was named an MBE in the King’s birthday honours list in June, was recognised for her service to rural communities during an investiture ceremony at Windsor Castle on Tuesday, October 24.

Cllr Kidd was given her medal by the Princess Royal which she said was an award for not just herself but for people who work tirelessly for their communities without much recognition.

The Lib Dem councillor for Chirbury and Worthen said the honour highlighted how important it was to fight to ensure rural areas had the same services as urban areas, whether for health, roads, broadband or mobile phone signals. She has a record for fighting for fair health services across the county.

County Times: Heather Kidd, Shropshire councillor for Chirbury and Worthen, after being made a Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) during an Investiture ceremony at Windsor Castle on October 24, 2023. Heather Kidd, Shropshire councillor for Chirbury and Worthen, after being made a Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) during an Investiture ceremony at Windsor Castle on October 24, 2023. (Image: Heather Kidd)

“Having spent 25 years trying hard to stand up for this sparsely populated area, I am delighted to accept this award,” Cllr Kidd said.

“There has never been a more important time to highlight the problems of rural people in Shropshire,"

“This award recognises that rural communities need a voice. I’m accepting this award not just for myself but for all those who work tirelessly, often in a voluntary capacity, for their communities across Shropshire and seldom get any recognition.”

A former teacher in Bishop's Castle, Cllr Kidd was elected South Shropshire district councillor for Chirbury between 1997 and 2007 and has been Shropshire councillor for Chirbury and Worthen since 2009.

When she was the leader of South Shropshire District Council from 2001 to 2007 she oversaw the introduction of many innovative schemes, including a ground breaking initiative to provide affordable homes for local people.

She is currently the Deputy Leader of the Liberal Democrat Group on Shropshire Council and also mentors other councils on behalf of the Local Government Association.

Earlier this year, Cllr Kidd said she was shocked and overwhelmed that she was recognised in the King’s Birthday Honours list.

“I’m really pleased that rural communities have been recognised. That’s what it’s about for me because we are so often forgotten.

“It is very expensive to live in these areas. In Bishop's Castle it's often 11 times the local wage to buy a house. We can’t build there at the moment, here in Chirbury it is similarly expensive, and rentals are really expensive.”

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“There’s access to health services, we have to travel miles and miles for. Now we have Bishop's Castle Hospital having its beds closed. It’s one thing after another and were expected to be able to drive 30 miles for a service people don’t have cars public transport is awful.”

“Our ambulance response times out here are very poor; we have never had a single target ever met on land ambulances.”

Councillor Kidd has said that she will continue to campaign as she has done for the last 25 years.

“Nobody shouts loudly enough about it. When people think about rural communities, they think about the towns they don’t think about the communities stretched right across the countryside.

“It’s a huge concern and it’s going to get worse because all councils including Powys County Council and Shropshire Council have got huge funding pressures because there is not enough grant coming in from central government.

“We share services so many times across the border and it it’s not going to get better as it is and unless someone stands there and keeps drawing attention to it, we will all be ignored.”