Campaigners threaten legal action over health vote

Campaigners may seek legal advice about a chaotic end to a key council meeting they say could have saved health services in Cumbria.

On Wednesday Cumbria’s health scrutiny comittee meeting met all day to discuss plans for a radical shake up in community hospitals and care for sick children in West Cumbria - but four councillors left before a final vote at the end of the meeting.

Earlier the committee had voted to reject three key proposals: closing community hospital beds in Wigton, Alston and Maryport; downgrading paediatrics in Whitehaven; and plans for maternity services in west Cumbria.

But once the four councillors left there committe carried out its final votes which saw a u-turn on hospital beds and pediatric care.

Now campaigners are demanding an investigation into the meeting and fresh vote.

In a strongly worded letter to Katherine Fairclough, chief executive of the County Council, the We Need West Cumberland Hospital Group is threatening legal action on the issue.

It added:

Campaigners fighting to save community hospital beds in Wigton, Maryport and Alston are also demanding a revote.

One of the councillors who missed the end of the meeting was Carni McCarron-Holmes, Labour councillor for Maryport North, who said she thought only county councillors were eligible to take part in the final vote.

“I have no idea why or what happened. The whole thing is a total farce,” she said.