Rugby Labour Party will be in the Town Centre this weekend to collect signatures for the campaign to keep the A&E service at St Cross Hospital.
The Petition will be circulating in areas around the town over the next couple of weeks, but to ensure that your support is registered, please come and join us.
DATE: Saturday 11th September TIME: 11:00 am PLACE: Meet at Asda front car park (Chapel St, off Corporation Road)
Andy Burnham signs our petition against reducing A&E services
Two of the candidates for the Labour Leadership have already pledged their support to our campaign to oppose the reduction of Urgent Care services at St Cross Hospital.
David Milliband sent a message of support last week:
“I am deeply concerned by the cuts being aimed at St Cross Hospital. It is another example of the economic masochism being unveiled across the country by the Tories who continue to show no compassion for the vulnerable. This isn’t the change Britain voted for and it isn’t the change Britain needs.”
Please join the new Facebook group: “St Cross Rugby – Save Urgent Care/A and E” set up to gather comments and opinions on the changes to St. Cross’ urgent care provision.
We are also collecting organising a petition. Printed copies will be available for you to sign at the Fabians Launch featuring Andy Burnham on Friday and at subsequent new member and branch meetings. All members will also be emailed a copy of the petition for use in your workplace or within your own circle of friends. We have until 4th October’s branch meeting to collect signatures.
For a copy of the petition, please click on the link below to download
Please come along and welcome our new members to Rugby Labour Party. It would be fantastic to see members of the executive committee and anyone else who’s free that day. This is a great chance to meet and chat informally about your party experiences and hopes for the future.
DATE: Saturday 4th September TIME: 2:00 pm PLACE: West Indian Club, St. Peters Road, Rugby, CV21 3QP
Rugby is a growing town with a population of 62,000 and plans to expand rapidly in the future. However, strategically most of Warwickshire’s frontline hospital provisions are becoming centred in the West and South of the county. This new proposal to downgrade emergency care would leave Coventry as the sole provider of A and E care for most of the Eastern and Northern Warwickshire. In comparison to other towns in the area Rugby has to put up with what is becoming a limited and rapidly diminishing NHS service. Read more…
An new branch of the Fabian Society for Warwickshire is being started, with the opening event to be held this Friday. The Society is being set up to foster debate and discussion on politics, and Labour Party members and non-members alike are welcome to participate.
Leadership candidate and former Health Secretary Andy Burnham MP will be coming to Rugby for the launch. So if you are interested in a new forum for centre-left political debate and want to hear what one of the contenders has to say, the details are below:
The Labour councillors at Rugby Borough Council are demanding more transparency from the Tories on how the decision was made to merge the roles of Council Leader and Chief Executive.
Cllr Craig Humphrey, who will be taking on more responsibility and as a result be receiving a larger salary, has claimed that the decision is perfectly legal and has been given the blessing of new Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, Eric Pickles. He also claims that residents will not be interested in how such decisions are made.
The Conservative and Liberal Democrat councillors voted to keep the decision out of public view at the last meeting. The claims that this will result in a saving cannot be proven, because not only will Craig Humphrey see his allowances increased, but the two senior officers at the Council are also having their salaries reviewed as a result of having to take on new statutory responsibilities.
Ish Mistry, Deputy Leader of the Labour Group said,
“The question for the Con Lib alliance is simple: What have you got to hide? Residents will be left thinking that the Tories and Liberals don’t want the public to see their plans because they know they won’t work.”
On the 20th of July, the Conservatives on Warwickshire County Council voted to close three of the retained fire stations in the county – Warwick, Studley and Brinklow.
The Tories claim that these closures are needed to allow service improvements across Warwickshire. However, they are part of a package of savings worth £113,000 a year and at dozens of retained firefighters will lose their positions. Labour councillors put forward an alternative proposal to keep all of the current stations open and still bring in improvements to the service at no extra cost, but the Tories voted against this. As a result we believe that the Conservatives have put saving money above saving lives.
The campaign continues
Labour in Rugby and across Warwickshire will continue to oppose these cuts, which have been acknowledged may increase response times in rural areas of Warwickshire.
The following Tory Councillors in the Rugby area voted to close Brinklow Fire Station along with those in Warwick and Studley:
Peter Butlin
Robin Hazelton
Carolyn Robbins
John Vereker
Helen Walton
Claire Watson
David Wright
Working hard for Rugby, Bulkington, Ansty, Binley Woods, Brandon, Brinklow, Church Lawford, Clifton, Long Lawford, Monks Kirby, Pailton, Shilton, Wolston and Wolvey
