Rowen seeks assurances over Birch Hill Windfall!

Rochdale MP, Paul Rowen has called for the money made by the sale of the Birch Hill Hospital Site to stay in Rochdale. Paul is seeking assurances that the multi-million pound windfall will be spent on improving acute services in the area. Over 400 houses are set to be built on the site and Health Bosses have not guaranteed that all the money will be reinvested in services in Rochdale.

Paul Rowen said, "I think it is only right that any money that is earned from the sale of the site is spent on improving health services in Rochdale. I have written to the Pennine Acute Trust asking them to give us firm assurances, there is blot of money that will make a real difference to the delivery of acute services in Rochdale. Bosses at the Pennine Acute Trust tell us that the money will be invested 'locally' - I want to clarify how local they actually mean - the area covered by the Pennine Acute is huge.

The Pennine Acute Hospitals NHS Trust manages hospitals in Bury, North Manchester, Oldham and of course Rochdale. Serving a population of approximately 800,000 the Trust is one of the largest non-teaching hospital trusts in the country, so I hope when they say local the money doesn't end in Bury, North Manchester or Oldham. I will ask the Pennine Acute Trust for a list of doctor's surgeries and health centres that will benefit. Rochdale money should, quite rightly stay in Rochdale and I will also be seeking assurances that they won't claim the money going into the LIFT Schemes is money from the sale as that was promised anyway."

Paul continued, "I am delighted that St Andrew's Primary School will benefit from a substantial donation from the sale of the land and I also welcome the fact many of the historic features in the area including the clock tower, dining room and chapel will remain under the plans."