The public meeting to discuss a Development Brief for Upper High Street (see "Lib Dems drive Consultation on Upper High Street" dated 13th December) will be held on Friday 19th January. Two identical meetings are to take place, the first between 3 and 5pm and the second at 7pm. The Unity Hall at the rear of the United Reformed Church hall in Church Street is the venue (the entrance is in Depot Road). All are welcome.
To learn that there was a proposal to sell-off the largest part of the Royal Victoria Hospital in Folkestone came as a real shock to local people just before Christmas - not least to the Lib Dems.
A letter from the Chair of the East Kent Hospitals NHS Trust to the Liberal Democrats has revealed that the Trust is considering the future of the Derry Unit Urology services at the Royal Victoria. The letter was in response to local campaigner Tim Prater, who had asked if the Trust would guarantee the future of all services at the site after the announcement that the main RVH building was being considered for sale.
Local residents and health workers have cast doubt on a pledge from East Kent Hospitals NHS Trust to retain all current services at the RVH after their announcement that they were looking at selling the Victorian part of the Royal Victoria. This week the NHS Trust has added to fears for the future of services by admitting that it was already considering withdrawing urology services offering by the Derry unit at the hospital.
Rochdale is set to lose its Accident and Emergency and other vital services after the Joint Committee of PCT's agreed with consultation bosses and rubber-stamped the controversial decision to close A & E, Child-Care and Maternity Services at Rochdale Infirmary. In an often emotional and high tempered meeting, those making the decision ignored angry protests.
Commenting on today's Equal Opportunities Commission report into the under-representation of women in Parliament and company boardrooms, Liberal Democrat Women and Equalities Spokesperson, Solihull's Lib Dem MP Lorely Burt said: "It is unacceptable in the twenty first century that women are still not playing their full part in some of the country's key decisions. UK plc is losing out by not tapping into the pool of talented and enterprising women. Women are not asking for a head start, but simply the introduction of practical measures to ensure genuine equality of opportunity."