News: December 2006 Archives

This is Local London has a story about the Greater London Authority (GLA) Bill which will increase the powers of the Mayor of London in many areas. Wandworth Council and Putney MP Justine Greening oppose the move, but Martin Linton supports it. He is quoted as saying:

This law would give the city back to an elected Londoner. It's right that local authorities should retain planning powers over local issues, but if they're making strategic decisions as well then you have different boroughs following piecemeal policies with no co-ordination between them.

The Wimbledon Guardian carries a story about the Bolingbroke hospital campaign.

Battersea MP Martin Linton has called on NHS chiefs to let people in the area decide on the future of the Bolingbroke Hospital.

His call comes in light of a survey carried out by his staff which showed 140 out of 141 people surveyed wanted the services it provides to stay in Battersea In December, St George's Healthcare NHS Trust will start a public consultation to decide where to move the services in the short term.

The story goes on to say that the MP has now launched a second survey to find out where local people want the replacement hospital to be built. It invites local residents to contact Mr. Linton at martinlintonmp@parliament.uk or by phone at 020 7219 4619.

The Wimbledon Guardian reports on Martin Linton's campaign to keep the Bolingbroke Hospital open. They quote him as saying:

People do not want their local hospital moved out of Battersea.

Many are going to support keeping the facilities where they have always been - on Wandsworth Common, but they should do so knowing what the alternatives are, not on the basis of some scare story about the facilities being closed.

I'm determined we should keep our hospital in Battersea and I want to know from local people whether they would prefer it to stay where it is, or move to one of the other possible sites.