Littlehampton hospital battle reaches Number 10

Members of the Littlehampton Labour Party, four of them former Littlehampton mayors, travelled up to London to hand in a plea to Gordon Brown on his second full day in power.

The Gazette was there, too, to cover the event and personally hand in more than 100 petition coupons printed in the paper backing the hospital build, which was put on hold last year, just days before work was due to start.

The campaign was rekindled following the announcement by West Sussex Primary Care Trust (PCT) last month about the future of the health service in the county and the possibility that the Arun Community Hospital may not even be part of the looming consultation process.

With a minibus laid on by Chauffeur Taxis and skilfully driven by Greg Smithers, the group arrived outside the gates of Downing Street at just after 1pm.

They were Littlehampton and Arun councillor for River ward Mark Butler, George O'Neill, town council member for Ham ward, Tony Squires, Arun member for Ham ward, former Brookfield ward councillor David Dyball and Stan Nattrass, chairman of the Arun District Labour Party.

The only person missing was Littlehampton and Arun councillor for Ham Ward Mike Northeast who was at home nursing a broken arm following a fall.

Carrying Gazette poster bills proclaiming their "Downing Street D-Day", they marched through the gates guarded by machine-gun-toting policemen to deliver their message to the new Prime Minister '“ "build our community hospital".

That message was spread even wider than expected when international television company Televisia took the opportunity to interview Mark Butler for a channel which transmits to all the world's Spanish-speaking nations.

Once outside Number 10, Mr Butler told the Gazette: "I think today, for once in my life as a councillor, I have actually achieved something because we've brought the voice of Littlehampton to the place of power.

"Gordon Brown said he is interested in the NHS and in what we think as councillors and we've brought that to his door today, so I'm delighted.

"I feel that sometimes, at a local level as a councillor, you tend to feel that you're just part of a massive machine, but to be able to get into the door is quite something and I feel very proud today that we have pulled this off and that we can actually be here in an historic week when the new Premier is in place.

"This may not get bricks built tomorrow, but I think that the fact that we've got our voice heard here can only be of benefit."

George O'Neill described the experience as "exhilarating" and said he was proud to be there.

He said: "It's really nice to actually come to 10 Downing Street and I think it highlights Gordon Brown's listening campaign

"I think that with what is happening with the Fit For the Future consultation, the focus has been taken away from the Arun Community Hospital.

"We need to make sure that it gets back in front of ministers and we were worried that the PCT were not taking it as seriously as it should do, so now we are pressuring the politicians.

"I think that the hospital does fit into Fit for the Future and it would be right to have diagnostics, consultancy and some beds there to take the pressure off of Worthing and St Richard's and to make it easier for people to get to healthcare, with less travel and more convenience."

Stan Nattrass, Arun District Labour Party chairman, said: "I am very proud to have taken the hospital plea to Number 10.

"I think it's absolutely vital that we get the Arun Community Hospital built because it will fit into the scheme that the PCT is proposing and will be an important part of it."

The Labour members had the unanimous support of Littlehampton Town Council in their battle to have the hospital built.

Littlehampton's mayor, Dr James Walsh, told a town council meeting on Thursday, the night before the plea was delivered to the Prime Minister: "We will all support the petition being delivered to Downing Street on Friday, and hope that Gordon Brown takes notice."

Dr Walsh said that over the past 18 months he had twice been told by the PCT that the hospital would be considered as part of the Fit for the Future consultation but that the promise had been broken and it would now only be considered after the consultation is over.

This, he said, made "a mockery of the commitment to bringing most care closer to people, and of the earlier consultation.

"It shows that their promises are not to be trusted. They have reneged on the deal".