Agenda and minutes

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Apologies for absence were received from Councillors Michael Adam, Victoria Brocklebank-Fowler, Ali de Lisle, Lucy Ivimy, Max Schmid and Peter Tobias.

Apologies for lateness were received from Councillors Georgie Cooney, Gavin Donovan and Jane Law.

If a Councillor has a disclosable pecuniary interest in a particular item, whether or not it is entered in the Authority’s register of interests, or any other significant interest which they consider should be declared in the public interest, they should declare the existence and, unless it is a sensitive interest as defined in the Member Code of Conduct, the nature of the interest at the commencement of the consideration of that item or as soon as it becomes apparent.

At meetings where members of the public are allowed to be in attendance and speak, any Councillor with a disclosable pecuniary interest or other significant interest may also make representations, give evidence or answer questions about the matter.  The Councillor must then withdraw immediately from the meeting before the matter is discussed and any vote taken.

Where Members of the public are not allowed to be in attendance and speak, then the Councillor with a disclosable pecuniary interest should withdraw from the meeting whilst the matter is under consideration. Councillors who have declared other significant interests should also withdraw from the meeting if they consider their continued participation in the matter would not be reasonable in the circumstances and may give rise to a perception of a conflict of interest.

Councillors are not obliged to withdraw from the meeting where a dispensation to that effect has been obtained from the Audit, Pensions and Standards Committee. 

Councillor Joe Carlebach declared a significant interest in respect of the special motion as he was a Trustee, Director and member of the Finance Committee of Arthritis Research UK (ARUK).  ARUK owned land on the Charing Cross Hospital site.  Councillor Carlebach considered that in the circumstances it would be unreasonable to participate in the matter and therefore left the room during the discussion without speaking or voting thereon.

Councillor Frances Stainton declared a significant interest in respect of the special motion as she was a member of the London Committee of ARUK which raised money for the research; she was not a trustee.  Councillor Stainton considered that this did not give rise to a perception of a conflict of interests and, in the circumstances it would be reasonable to participate in the discussion and vote thereon.

To consider and determine the following Special Motion:

7.04pm – Councillor Rory Vaughan moved, seconded by Councillor Stephen Cowan, the special motion standing in their names:

“This Council deplores the fact that the Administration has negotiated a deal with Government Health chiefs that will see:

·        The A&E at Hammersmith Hospital close;

·        The closure of the A&E and most other acute health facilities at Charing Cross Hospital, which will be reduced to 13% of its current size; and

·        60% of the Charing Cross site turned over to property speculators.

It notes that, despite this, the Administration has spent thousands of pounds of taxpayers’ money putting out leaflets and other PR telling people it has saved Charing Cross Hospital. This statement is strongly disputed by local residents, the campaign to Save Our Hospitals and the Opposition.

This Council therefore agrees to commission an independent assessment of these proposals.”

Speeches on the special motion were made by Councillors Rory Vaughan and Stephen Cowan (for the Opposition) and Councillor Nicholas Botterill (for the Administration).

Under Standing Order 15(e) (vi), Councillor Mark Loveday moved, seconded by Councillor Marcus Ginn, an amendment to the motion as follows:

“Delete all after ‘”This Council”’ and replace with:

1.      Recognises that H&F clinicians and the Council have succeeded in influencing the NHS to make radical enhancements to  its ‘Shaping a Healthier Future’ proposals for the borough, so that:

·        Charing Cross will be re-built at a cost of £90m and continue to treat 85% of current patients

·        Charing Cross will retain 70% of its A&E capacity and 24/7 admissions

·        Charing Cross will be a consultant led, specialist hospital with vital cancer and social care specialisms

·        Charing Cross will remain an important teaching hospital, with potentially a ‘leading role in Europe’ teaching integrated healthcare

·        Hammersmith Hospital will remain a Specialist Hospital serving 90% of current patients

2.      Notes that:

·        Clinicians support the concentration of acute services at fewer, better-resourced centres

·        Change was inevitable and the new model was the best achievable consultation outcome for Charing Cross and Hammersmith Hospitals

·        The reorganisation is expected to save around 130 lives per year

3.   Resolves to lobby the NHS to achieve maximum benefits for borough residents from the new model, including:

·        The co-location of a range of health providers at Charing Cross Hospital

·        The 24/7 emergency department to be appropriately specified and staffed

·        Additional investment in the ambulance service to maintain current response times

·        The development of supported housing for elderly and disabled residents on the Charing Cross site.”

Speeches on the amendment were made by Councillors Marcus Ginn, Andrew Brown, Georgie Cooney, Harry Phibbs and Peter Graham (for the Administration) and Councillors Elaine Chumnery, Iain Coleman, Caroline Needham, Michael Cartwright, Lisa Homan and Stephen Cowan (for the Opposition) before it was put to the vote and a roll-call was requested:

FOR                                             AGAINST