We visited the West Midlands city where people say ‘breaking point’

We’ve visited more than a dozen towns ahead of the general election, asking people what their priorities are – and nobody worries about health like the people of Redditch. In the run-up to the general election on July 4, BirminghamLive is talking to people across the region to find out what matters most to them.

On Redditch Street, near the market, locals had their say on the general election and the issues affecting them – and found huge NHS concerns. Housing also came up, but the overwhelming view was that the NHS was at breaking point.

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Linda, 79, has spent her entire life in Redditch and is deeply concerned about the state of the country as the general election approaches. Her main focus is on the general neglect she perceives in various sectors, particularly the NHS.

“I feel like we have a broken country; so much has been neglected,” said Linda. Linda herself is awaiting a medical procedure that has been delayed for months. “The NHS desperately needs more help,” she said.

According to the British Medical Association, in April 2024 the NHS waiting list for elective care (pre-planned hospital treatment and outpatient appointments) stood at a record 7.57 million cases.

Chris, 70, agreed and thought investment in the NHS and social housing was important. He said: “Social housing is a major problem, they spend money on the town center all the time but the state of council housing and the paths people have to walk on is terrible.”

Her comments reflected a wider feeling that while urban development projects often receive funding, essential services such as social housing are often overlooked. In 2010, funding for affordable housing was cut by 60% as part of deficit reduction efforts.

Adam, 36, said cuts to public services were a key issue for him in Redditch. He said: “To me, it’s more of a reduction in services. I feel like too many things have been cut,” he said.

He shared a personal experience about the local hospital near his home. “When my wife was pregnant with my son, we used to go there all the time. Now everything has just been cut and sent to other places,” he said.

Adam also mentioned attempts to close the local library, which he sees as part of a wider trend to divert funds from essential services.

“I feel like it’s all about cutting rather than diverting money to the right places, especially with the hospital,” he added.

At a children’s playgroup, Wendy, 58, said her main concerns revolved around safety, the police and the NHS. “

It’s all about normal people,” she said. She also expressed deep concerns about the children’s future. “They don’t seem to have the freedom that I grew up with. Everything you have to worry,” she noted.

Wendy is particularly troubled by the overuse of technology among children. She said: “I worry too much about them on laptops, tablets and phones sometimes. They are no longer allowed to be children”.

Redditch is crucial for both Labor and the Tories in this election as its results historically reflect regional trends. The seat has been held by the Conservatives since 2010 and is considered to be a weather seat, a key indicator of the country’s sentiment.

The result here could very well signal the direction in which not just Redditch, but Birmingham and possibly even national politics are headed.

The candidates running for the seat of Redditch are:

• Andrew Paul Fieldsend-Roxborough (Liberal Democrat)
• Rachel Maclean (Conservative)
• Christopher James Bloore (work)
• David Frank Oliver Thain (Green Party)
• Julie Allison (Reform UK)