Urgent pleas over hospital land deal (From Tivyside Advertiser)

Urgent pleas over hospital land deal

11:40am Tuesday 27th July 2010

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AN urgent plea is being made this week to ensure land is secured for Cardigan’s new hospital before it becomes a casualty of public spending cuts.

Members of Ceredigion County Council voted unanimously yesterday (Tuesday) to press the Hywel Dda Health Board to ensure that “progress is swiftly made” to secure suitable land for the scheme.

It emerged six weeks ago that talks had reached stalemate on the sale of a site for the hospital near the new supermarket at Bath-house.

“We are very unhappy that no decision has yet been made on suitable land for the new hospital at Cardigan,” Cllr Ellen ap Gwynn, leader of the Plaid Cymru opposition group, told yesterday’s full council meeting.

“We need to send a message to the health board that they need to get this matter decided urgently and present it to the current health minister. She is willing to listen at present, but we don’t know what we will have next year after the Assembly elections. This project could disappear if something doesn’t happen very soon,” she added.

Council leader, Cllr Keith Evans said: “I am saddened that it has taken so long for this matter to be decided in Cardigan. It must be sorted out before the Assembly look again at finances as soon as this Autumn. If contracts are not signed by then, we don’t know what the outcome will be.”

Cllr Mark Cole added: “There is great concern in Cardigan that this land is still not secured. We need to apply pressure on the health board.”

And Cllr Catrin Miles said: “This has been on the agenda in Cardigan for 30 years. We do not want to reach the point that the present old hospital becomes unfit for purpose. People would have to travel very far then. We certainly need a hospital more than we need a supermarket.”

Councillors also unanimously backed a motion calling on the Hywel Dda Health Board to ensure that business plans are in place to complete proposed developments at Bronglais Hospital, Aberystwyth; and for the proposed new integrated health centres at Aberaeron and Tregaron.

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