‘Hastings might be the best bet’

Currently, residents on Romney Marsh have to travel to the William Harvey for the A&E department - which is 17 miles from New Romney.

Cllr Tony Hills (Con), Kent County Council member for the Marsh, above, has criticised the delay on a decision, adding it has been a “long slow burn”.

He said: “I have been attending meetings about this.

“It would be stupid to take A&E away from Ashford.

“I’m very against it. It just wouldn’t work.

“It might be quicker to go to Hastings than Canterbury.”

Tony Cooper, chairman of the Ashford and Romney Marsh Breathe Easy group, said the ‘super hospital’ should be dropped immediately and stressed the importance of the Harvey.

He said: “Given the delay and the pandemic, we feel any information relied upon to push option two may be out of date.

“Especially when considering the increased national debt due to the pandemic, there is no guarantee funding would be available to fully equip a new hospital.

“What would happen if, for example, the developer was to go bust halfway through the build?

“The NHS should invest in providing better health services to the population of the Romney Marsh.

“I believe the William Harvey serves the whole of the M20 and is a major trauma unit.

“One has to wonder how many additional lives would be lost if it was moved away from Ashford.”

Ashford and Tenterden MP Damian Green

ABC’s deputy leader says it is “too early for any conclusions to be drawn” on the scrutiny process

Cllr Paul Bartlett and former Canterbury City Council leader Simon Cook