ALTHOUGH we all feel deep sadness for the loss of life and injuries among servicemen and civilians in Iraq and we hope and pray for a rapid resolution to the conflict, life here at home has to go on.

We must continue to address our everyday local and national problems with determination and perseverance.

There are several excellent items of news! First the Environment Agency's submission for the Severn Side South flood defences in Bewdley has gone to DEFRA before the March 31 deadline.

I have Elliott Morley's promise that this means it will not be held up by the new prioritisation criteria for flood defences which come into force on April 1.

Also we will have funding for pallet defences on the Wribbenhall side of the river. These are cheaper than demountable defences but they have been shown to be highly effective.

More good news is that Broadband is now available from the BT exchanges in Kidderminster, Stourport and Bewdley.

I understand that take-up of this service in Kidderminster and Stourport where it became available first is disappointingly low. It is important to increase our use of this service. Potential users will require a survey and they have to be within 5.5km of the exchange.

Another exciting achievement is the start of courses in the maintenance and repair of complex items of medical equipment at the Capital Group's training centre situated in spare accommodation on the Kidderminster hospital site.

I am told that such a training centre does not exist anywhere else in this country and that links are being forged with regional universities to gain accreditation.

This initiative has been supported by Wyre Forest District Council, the Acute Hospitals Trust and Advantage West Midlands among others.

It is providing a valuable use for hospital buildings that some may have regarded as redundant.

I hope it could be the start of other developments here in the field of medical technology.

I have met local MPs to discuss the problems in our hospital services reported by the district auditor and the Commission for Health Improvement.

The problems are emphasised by the discovery that the Acute Hospitals Trust has had to borrow money to pay this month's wages and by hearing about cuts being considered to reduce costs.

We are requesting meetings with ministers and local managers to discuss these issues.

I hope we make progress because I am still receiving communications from staff and patients about the problems they encounter.

It is inexplicable that some people while aware of the parking difficulties at the new hospital blame all other problems on local press and MPs when we are only reporting what we actually hear from patients and staff.