Agenda item

8.23pm – Councillor Ben Coleman moved, seconded by Councillor Patricia Quigley, the special motion in their names:

“This Council gives its heartfelt thanks to the NHS on behalf of the residents of Hammersmith & Fulham for working so valiantly throughout the pandemic and this winter’s health crisis. It recognises how its staff have made huge personal sacrifices to keep people safe.

The Council notes that there would have been a devastating impact on the people of Hammersmith & Fulham if Charing Cross Hospital had been demolished as the Conservative government had planned. It recalls how Hammersmith & Fulham’s Conservative councillors energetically and wholeheartedly supported the demolition plan, which would have seen:

1.    Charing Cross Hospital bulldozed with most of the site sold off to developers

2.    Charing Cross Hospital replaced with clinics which would have been just 13 per cent the size of the current hospital

3.    The clinics cynically rebranded as a “local hospital”

4.    The A&E closed and replaced with an Urgent Care Clinic

5.    The Urgent Care Clinic cynically rebranded as a “Class 3 A&E”

The Council agrees these plans were dangerous and calls on Hammersmith & Fulham Conservatives to apologise for their repeated comments which misled the public about the danger to Charing Cross Hospital, including:

“Andrew Brown 28/10/2013

It’s crucial for patents’ lives & outcomes that @NHS_NWLondon plans to reorganise its hospitals for C21st to go ahead.”

“Andrew Brown 29/05/2014

NHS NWL's plans aren't about taking away services they are about reorganising them to provide better higher quality care.”

“Andrew Brown 14/04/2014

Just caught up on yesterday’s #bbccsp with my Town Ward colleague @gregsmithsw6 demolishing Labour lies & myths on CX & Comms. Very proud!”

“Andrew Brown 15/05/2014

CX will retain an A&E + many other services will specialise in oncology, geriatrics & world class elective surgery.”

“Andrew Brown 08/09/2014

As IMPERIAL NHS trust have confirmed they have no plans to close CX A&E”

“Andrew Brown 27/11/2017

STP plan states that CX will continue to provide its current A&E & wider services for at least lifetime of the plan”

“Greg Hands 22/05/2017

Anyone getting a Labour or H&F Council leaflet about Charing Cross, remember local NHS has rebuked their falsehoods!””

Speeches on the motion were made by Councillors Ben Coleman, Patricia Quigley, Rory Vaughan, and Stephen Cowan (for the Administration) and Councillor Andrew Brown (for the Opposition).

Councillor Ben Coleman made a speech winding up the debate before the motion was put to the vote:

FOR                        31

AGAINST                10

NOT VOTING         0

The motion was declared CARRIED.

8.54pm – RESOLVED

This Council gives its heartfelt thanks to the NHS on behalf of the residents of Hammersmith & Fulham for working so valiantly throughout the pandemic and this winter’s health crisis. It recognises how its staff have made huge personal sacrifices to keep people safe.

The Council notes that there would have been a devastating impact on the people of Hammersmith & Fulham if Charing Cross Hospital had been demolished as the Conservative government had planned. It recalls how Hammersmith & Fulham’s Conservative councillors energetically and wholeheartedly supported the demolition plan, which would have seen:

1.    Charing Cross Hospital bulldozed with most of the site sold off to developers

2.    Charing Cross Hospital replaced with clinics which would have been just 13 per cent the size of the current hospital

3.    The clinics cynically rebranded as a “local hospital”

4.    The A&E closed and replaced with an Urgent Care Clinic

5.    The Urgent Care Clinic cynically rebranded as a “Class 3 A&E”

The Council agrees these plans were dangerous and calls on Hammersmith & Fulham Conservatives to apologise for their repeated comments which misled the public about the danger to Charing Cross Hospital, including:

“Andrew Brown 28/10/2013

It’s crucial for patents’ lives & outcomes that @NHS_NWLondon plans to reorganise its hospitals for C21st to go ahead.”

“Andrew Brown 29/05/2014

NHS NWL's plans aren't about taking away services they are about reorganising them to provide better higher quality care.”

“Andrew Brown 14/04/2014

Just caught up on yesterday’s #bbccsp with my Town Ward colleague @gregsmithsw6 demolishing Labour lies & myths on CX & Comms. Very proud!”

“Andrew Brown 15/05/2014

CX will retain an A&E + many other services will specialise in oncology, geriatrics & world class elective surgery.”

“Andrew Brown 08/09/2014

As IMPERIAL NHS trust have confirmed they have no plans to close CX A&E”

“Andrew Brown 27/11/2017

STP plan states that CX will continue to provide its current A&E & wider services for at least lifetime of the plan”

“Greg Hands 22/05/2017

Anyone getting a Labour or H&F Council leaflet about Charing Cross, remember local NHS has rebuked their falsehoods!”