Rochdale Council criticised for penny-pinching decision

Rochdale Council has been criticised for asking the Friends of Our Hospital to pay £35 per hour to use the Town Hall for a public meeting being held to give local people the opportunity to ask questions relating to the ambulance and hospital services, including A amp; E, major trauma and "What is a Locality Hospital".

With the decision already taken to recommend the downgrading of the Infirmary to a 'Locality Hospital' concerned residents are expected to turn out in large numbers, however, as a result of the surprising decision by Town Hall mandarins to charge for use of the building, Friends of our Hospital has reluctantly moved the meeting to St Mary's Parish Hall, Featherstall Road, Littleborough.

Already concerns are being expressed at the travel difficulty this creates for people wanting to attend and particularly concern over disabled access.

The Council decision is all the more surprising given a number of public bodies have confirmed attendance, these include:

• Heywood, Middleton and Rochdale PCT
• Pennine Acute Hospitals NHS Trust
• North West Ambulance Service
• Local Transport Representation
• Patient's Council
• North West Strategic Health Authority

Ms Jo Purcell from HMR PCT will be a guest speaker supported by representatives from the Pennine Acute and the Greater Manchester Ambulance Trust. Also speaking will be ex-ambulance man Mr Mel Jones.

Councillor Jean Ashworth, of the Friends of Our Hospital, said: "we wanted this meeting at the Rochdale Town Hall but we were asked to pay £35 an hour which is not right for such an important issue.

"The leader of the council, Councillor Alan Taylor has promised to look into this for further events as both Councillor Ashley Dearnley and I have expressed deep concern that important public meetings affecting our Rochdale Borough should not have to pay."

A Council spokesman said: "The Council's policy on meetings such as this is not to charge community, voluntary or charitable groups for meetings before 5pm on the ground floor of the town hall. We understand that this meeting was due to start in the evening, and would therefore be subject to the booking charge."

Leader of the Council, Councillor Alan Taylor, and Lib Dem colleague of one of the meeting organisers Councillor Jean Ashworth, said: "This is an unfortunate result of a long-held council policy; I have every sympathy with the organisers.  I wish they had flagged this up with me before they booked St Mary’s, unfortunately they didn’t.  The council policy does need looking at for meetings in the overwhelming public interest of residents in this borough and I shall be discussing this with the two other party leaders.  The term ‘penny-pinching’ is harsh on council staff who are simply doing their job set out by the current rules and regulations of this council."