Constituency News - Archive
MP calls for mast law changes
Local MP Chris Grayling has called for greater local controls over the siting of mobile phone masts, and for local councils to be allowed to take into account health issues when agreeing sites for masts. "I am fed up with insensitive applications for masts in this area," he said more about MP calls for mast law changes
MP backs residents over development pressures
Residents should not be under siege from developers with projects that contradict local plan guidelines more MP backs residents over development pressures
MP calls for divorce as NHS looks to St Helier
Local MP Chris Grayling has called for a split between Epsom and St Helier hospitals as the NHS's review of hospital services looks increasingly likely to recommend the building of two new hospitals at St Helier and the downgrading of Epsom more about MP calls for divorce as NHS looks to St Helier
Hospital Action Day takes petition past 10,000
The
total number of people backing the Epsom Hospital Campaign
has passed 10,000, following an Action Day held at locations
across the area on Saturday 29th May. Teams of supporters
collected signatures for the campaign petition at Sainsbury's
in Kiln Lane, Asda in Burgh Heath, in Epsom Town Centre and
at Ashtead Village Day. In total the effort collected nearly
2,000 extra names more about Hospital Action Day takes petition past 10,000
Epsom Hospital Campaign
There have been a number of major developments on the future of Epsom Hospital. A decision on the future of the hospital is now expected in the Summer. Local MP Chris Grayling is planning a series of public meetings on the issue. More details will be published here shortly.
For details of what is happening, please see the Epsom Hospital section of this website.
Central Railway Campaign Success
The
Government has yielded to pressure from local MPs and Pressure
Groups and rejected the controversial Central Railway project.
The scheme - to build a £10 billion rail freight line from
the Channel Tunnel to Liverpool - was due to run along the
edge of Ashtead and in a long tunnel underneath the Downs.
But the Government accepted the argument that the project
was not financially viable, and said it would not allow the
company promoting the scheme to move ahead with it more about Central Railway Campaign Success
Post Office Closure Confirmed
Despite
a local campaign that won the support of most residents on
the Wells Estate, the Post Office has decided to press ahead
with its controversial closure plan for the local sub-post
office on the estate. The move leaves Epsom with no surviving
sub-post office, and will put even more pressure on the Main
Post Office in the centre of Epsom more about Post Office closure confirmed
TRUST CHANGES PRESERVE SERVICES AT EPSOM
The Epsom and St Helier Trust has put forward a revised set of proposals for Epsom Hospital which tackle the operational problems it has faced without changing the structure of services at Epsom. The plan involves changes to the way the hospital provides cover for night time staff, but retains the full 24 hour emergency service at Epsom. In addition, the Trust is to relocate the out-of-hours GP service to Epsom Hospital to provide extra support for patients who come to the A&E Department with less serious problems more about Trust changes preserve services at Epsom
Hospital Campaign Relaunched with Major New Proposal
On Monday 14th July Chris published details of a new proposal that he has put to the NHS which would lead to the construction of a 700 bed hospital on the Epsom Hospital site. The plan would, he estimated, cost £150 million less than the likely £250 million cost of building a totally new hospital at St Helier or Sutton.
"I am convinced that Epsom offers the NHS the best value for money - and the best way of ensuring that it has enough money to pay for new services for patients in community hospitals and GP surgeries.
Details of the proposals are included in the Epsom Hospital Update section on this site.
Trade Justice Lobby
Chris
has held a further set of meetings with members of the local
Trade Justice Movement. The Movement held a national series
of events on June 27th to raise awareness of trade issues
affecting developing countries more about Trade Justice Lobby
Local MP supports volunteers week
The
first week in June was volunteers week in the Epsom and Ewell
area - and Chris has been visiting a variety of local organisations
to find out about their work and support them in their attempts
to secure new volunteers. He also took part in the judging
of a photographic competition organised by the Leatherhead
Advertiser and the Mid-Surrey Council for Voluntary Service
to find the photograph that best reflected the spirit of volunteering
in the area more about Local MP supports volunteers week
Hospital Cluster sites sold
The
Government is in the final stages of negotiating the sale
of all the remaining redundant NHS sites on the Epsom Cluster
to a consortium of Banks. The sale includes St Ebba's. West
Park, Horton Farm and the proposed retail centre on the Horton
Hospital site. News of the sale has come out of the blue,
although negotiations have been going on for some months more about Hospital Cluster sites sold
Durdans application expected
Agents
to Lord Halifax, owner of the historical riding stables adjoining
the Durdans in Epsom are expected to lodge a planning application
for the site shortly. In a recent letter to Chris, Lord Halifax's
agent David Lord confirmed that he is exploring development
options, and he is reported to be considering a plan to turn
the listed indoor riding school into offices more about Durdans application expected
Fears grow of more Post Office closures
As
many as half a dozen local post offices could close in the
next year as a result of nationwide plans to close up to 3,000
sub-post offices. Already one local office, on the Preston
Hawe estate, has been closed, and the Post Office in the Spar
store in Manor Green Road in Epsom may also close. There have
also been rumours that other local post offices are under
consideration for closure more about fears grow of more Post Office closures