WOKING COUNCIL PASSES MOTION TO SAVE SURREY HOSPITALS

4.11.38pm BST (GMT +0100) Thu 26th Oct 2006

Woking residents have been horrified to learn that the A & E Departments at St Peter's Hospital and Royal Surrey face possible closure by the Strategic Health Authority. This is as a result of the huge deficits that hospitals have incurred as a result of bad Labour Government management of the NHS.

Woking Councillors unanimously supported the Liberal Democrat motion to support a cross-party campaign to prevent the closure of any A & E in Surrey. Unfortunately the Conservatives had tabled an earlier motion calling for the closure of only one A & E Department at St Peter's.

Commenting after the meeting, Cllr Philip Goldenberg said:

"The Conservatives made no mention of Royal Surrey, which serves most residents in south and west Woking. Residents will not be fooled by out-of-touch Conservatives. Remember that your local Tory MP, Humfrey Malins voted against £9 billion of extra funding for the NHS in 2002 three times, which would have landed hospitals in a greater mess if the Tories were in charge."

"There was no way for the Conservatives to go but to support our cross-party motion to prevent all NHS closures."

Another success of your Liberal Democrat councillors.