More spin on state of HRI in ‘detailed reports’

AS the Examiner reports in the story ‘Hospital campaigners dispute that HRI is crumbling’ (March 12), our surveyor concluded that it is practicable to upgrade HRI, and with appropriate maintenance, that it’s likely to be good for another 60 years.

The Trust’s response, that their ‘detailed reports’ show ‘extensive, long-term structural issues,’ is simply more spin, and completely fails to answer the question of why they claimed it needed to be demolished in the first place.

I’ve read all the reports - provided by the Trust in response to FOI requests – and none of them say that HRI is near the end of its useful life.

It’s hard not to conclude that, to put it kindly, the Trust spun them to suit their ‘preferred option’ of closing and demolishing our hospital.

No-one denies there are maintenance needs (£26m worth say ERIC, the government’s database), and refurbishment requirements, some not straightforward, and that work is needed. But, in our surveyor’s opinion, ‘there are no grounds for concern about the strength of the structure,’ and refurbishment difficulties can be overcome by careful design ith only a modest effect on total refurbishment costs. Keeping and improving HRI could save perhaps £200m over the Trust’s preferred option. It’s simply untrue to claim that our hospital can’t be upgraded and needs to be demolished. That’s the choice of the Trust. They should think again. I RECENTLY moved back to Slawit after 40 years away.

The lure of canal, river, rolling hills and reservoirs in a pretty rural village is what persuaded us to move back.

However the proof of the pudding is, as they say, in the eating. Whilst all the above are on our doorstep, unfortunately this is outweighed by the disgusting state of the village.

The amount of dog poo on all the pavements and, incredulously, on the bridge walk across the reservoir, which is on the school run, is appalling.

It’s almost akin to the use of mobile phones in cars i.e. nobody does anything about it so why bother picking it up.

There is rubbish everywhere and people’s grey bins are overflowing full of recycling, cardboard, bottles etc.

Penelope Keith won’t be visiting here anytime soon.

Unless she launches a new programme ... called Britain’s Dirtiest Villages.