Talking Politics by Councillor Jean Ashworth!

5.20.12pm GMT Thu 18th Jan 2007

Councillor Jean Ashworth - One of Rochdale's foremost health campaigners.

I am the Chair of the Pennines Township, and I am delighted to see more power being delivered to us through the Liberal Democrat policy of devolution. These are exciting times in the Pennines and I am happy to see ALL the Pennine Councillor's working together with the Township manager Sue Thornton and her team and we really appreciate their hard work.

I welcome the Traffic calming scheme in the Hurstead Area which is a huge project going ahead and for that I am grateful to Terry Leedham and his team for listening and working with us to put this plan together.

Other issues that I am involved in with colleagues - Brenda Kerslake and Christine Akram include the Parking issues on the Ditton Mead Estate which is going to go ahead along with the removal of bushes etc. I wish the newly formed Tenants & Resident's group on the Ditton Mead estate well, it is called "Pennine View Community Association". We attended their recent meeting at Wesley Street Chapel and I know that they will play a key role in a number of vital issues for our area.

Everybody in Rochdale knows that the fight to save vital services at Rochdale Infirmary is not over despite the pleas from hypocritical Labour MPs tell us. The decision to close services at the hospital is a direct result of Labour Government policies - Labour MPs are the last people we trust on health. I would like to use this opportunity to your excellent reporter Beatriz Ayala - who has gone beyond the call of duty to publicise this story. She has always been even handed and professional in this whole saga and is one of the reasons why our collective voice in Rochdale was heard louder than others.

It is difficult combining being a Councillor, work at the Infirmary and campaigning against these disgraceful cuts. It has not always been easy and one source of great frustration is that I have had to declare an interest and not participate fully in the Health Overview and Scrutiny Committee on the Council last year. My colleague - Councillor Brenda Kerslake has done an excellent job since she took over in May, opposing these cuts in her role as Chair. I was hugely disappointed when former Labour Councillor in Smallbridge and Firgrove - Lorraine Butterworth led the committee into voting for the damaging proposals. I was excluded from this meeting, alongside Councillors Pauline Maguire and Angela Coric as we worked for the trust - The campaign never really recovered from this decision and was brought up again by Health Bosses when 'rubberstamping' the decision a few weeks ago. We are hopeful that the process of Judicial Review will show the 'consultation' as a sham and by the time you have read this, a number of us will have been to London to meet Paul Rowen MP and confront the Labour Secretary of State for Health Patricia Hewitt! I will report back on that at the weekend! Finally, can I wish Father Nearey who has been an inspiration in the hospital campaign a speedy recovery from his recent hip operation.

Councillor Jean Ashworth - Smallbridge and Firgrove