We are sick at the list of bad health care decisions 

I HAD to do a double take at the lead story in the Journal last week.

The Wiltshire Clinical Commissioning Group want to drastically reduce the opening hours at the walk-in medical centre, and are then quoted as saying they are trying to take the pressure off A&E.

This is just another ridiculous decision in a long list of really bad decisions made by faceless committee dwellers who seem determined to destroy the services in Salisbury.

At a very rough estimate I would think that at least 50 patients are seen daily at the walk-in centre.

Many of these are there because their GPs can’t see them, so, in future, they will have no choice but to go to A&E.

I have used the walk-in centre on a few occasions so I know how user-friendly it is, and the doctors there are the best I have known for years.

They are so professional and thorough, giving a better consultation than I can access at my own GP’s surgery.

I have to use the walk-in centre if needed because I have to wait two weeks to see my GP.

Perhaps the Members of the Clinical Commissioning Group, who are totally divorced from reality, could let me know what I should do in future. In fact, I insist that they do.

Lin Pritchard, Salisbury

We are sick at the list of bad health care decisions 

THE Walk-in Centre concept was the brainchild of Lord Darzi, to take the pressure off GP’s and A&E departments.

Those services who buckle under pressure of patients, who in some cases attend the service on every whim and ailment.

We now seem to be a nation of people who lack the ability to deal with even minor ailments without seeing a ‘qualified’ person.

The Government have again managed to pay someone to research and come up with a plan, throw money into it on a 3-year funding stream so the project can ‘sink or swim’.

The money is not enough to see it succeed and prosper.  They offer a lifeline of another year’s funding, knowing it won’t be sustainable then pull the plug under austerity measures. Instead of doing the right thing and correctly funding the existing GP surgeries to maintain trained staff to deal with the high patient demand.

It would be preferable that they educate everyone on what is necessary to seek immediate help for via 999, and signpost to more appropriate sources i.e. self-care, pharmacy, dentist, GP or Walk-in Centre, and A&E. If we educate everyone in First Aid and basic life skills, we can be on to a winner.

Cllr Caroline Corbin, Bemerton Ward

Assets fiasco

WHO should fall on their sword over Salisbury boundary and assets fiasco?

On July 21, 2014, two of six options tied 8-8.

A Labour option of welcoming anyone who wished to join Salisbury (as it should be) and a Tory option, put forward by Matthew Dean, to just take over every surrounding parish bar Wilton – like it or not.

It is the original eight votes for the nasty option, which meant a re-run.

Those voters were Tory councillors: Dean; D Brown; Hocking, Hoque; Lindley; Collier; Rogers and Labour’s Walsh, who chose to vote against his party’s friendly option.

So, eight out of 23 councillors sent Salisbury on a downward spiral.

Cllr Roberts missed the vote.

However, he and Cllr Dean pursued the matter with a vengeance and latched on to the Clewer and Douglas motion to merge Laverstock & Ford Parish, last November.

Neither Roberts, Dean nor anyone from Salisbury City, made contact with Laverstock and Ford parish to discuss a merger.  When it was decided 65 votes to four, on July 12, Salisbury was told that they had acted poorly and could not take over a perfectly good parish, just because they were bigger.

Cllr Roberts somehow remains convinced that he could turn over the ‘slam dunk’ decision with a ‘slam dunk’ of his own.  Pure delusion.

The Journal reports Cllr Roberts as saying “asset transfer is dead in the water”, after losing Bishopdown Farm’s 300 homes.

Ridiculous! Salisbury also gained almost 200 homes in the review, so overall lose just £10,000 per annum.

150-200 homes per annum will be built at Fugglestone Red, so in four years, when the assets need funding, Salisbury will be much better off than today.

I would suggest the voters who elected the mean and the nasty, might wish to reconsider their vote next May, if Roberts, Dean and the rest have failed to do the honourable thing.

Finally, a huge thank you to every resident of Laverstock & Ford parish, who broke all consultation records in the process.

Cllr Ian McLennan Laverstock, Ford & Old Sarum Div Wiltshire Council

Assets angst

I WRITE in response to Sven Hocking’s disrespectful and inappropriate accusations on our group in his vain attempt to rewrite recent history.

It was the Conservatives who were keen to take over Laverstock and Ford.

The Labour group took a very clear line, that any boundary change needs to be by mutual consent, we certainly do not wish to forcibly grab any other parish.

The financial gain from Laverstock and Ford wouldn’t have increased our revenue enough to cover the cost of the full asset transfer without additional cost.

I struggle to see that any Salisbury resident lobbied for the takeover of Laverstock and Ford.

It was solely borne from the desire of certain councillors, who see the City growing and wanted to enforce a ‘merger’ for financial gain.

It was the Conservatives who in June forced through the asset transfer.

They chose this path rather than follow through an agreed timeline to ensure we got the deal that best fit the needs and desires of our residents.

It is particularly damning that Wiltshire Councillors chose to use CCTV renewal as a blackmail item in the asset transfer before City’s Parish Councillors had full details for what would actually be included.

Whilst there will undoubtedly be more costs for the City’s residents to shoulder, I am sure that all would agree to the importance and benefits that the CCTV has brought to Salisbury in recent years and so I believe we should still push for Wiltshire Council to stick to its pledge.

Labour councillors recognise the benefits of a clean city with functional WC’s and other resident focused assets.

A positive to come from this would see neighbouring parishes work together on infrastructure and other matters to which there is a common interest.

I for one will look forward to that, as much as I enjoy representing the residents in my ward.

Cllr Caroline Corbin, Bemerton Ward

Save the site

WE support Mr Marshall’s letter (Journal, July 21) regarding the planning application in respect of Avon Riverside Walk termed ‘Land to the rear of 22-30 Crane St - the old Garden Centre’.

This strip of land alongside the river is small but a little jewel, a precious relic of Salisbury’s past.

It is a haven for wildlife with blackcap warblers singing there in the spring.

The trees with their seasonal colours are a delight.

Development of the site will spoil, if not destroy, all this. Let’s save it.

In addition the already busy Crane St is to provide access (public and service) via a reconstructed house. Large delivery vehicles already obstruct traffic when serving businesses, so the situation could worsen.

Comments may be made to Planning Dept. Wiltshire Council by August 8. Reference number is 16/05643/FUL

A & E Tanner, Salisbury

Help at hand

WITH reference to the article in the Journal last week, “City beggars ‘earn £100 a day and have their own homes’.

Alabaré is working with the police, Wiltshire Council and other charities to ensure those vulnerable people living on the street of Salisbury are not lost under the radar, and that support is available to help them recover from whatever crisis has led to them to being on the streets.

Alabaré is the leading provider of help to homeless people in Salisbury.

We meet regularly with other charities, the police, the council and others at a rough sleepers forum to discuss the best way to help them recover.

Nicki Vigor and her team of staff and volunteers at Alabaré Place provide excellent accommodation and support, but can only give it to people referred to us through Wiltshire Council.

Last year we helped 61 people, taking them off the streets.

The rough sleepers forum is an essential way we can reach out to those still on the streets, alongside the support that we provide each week at our drop-in centre.

Last year, Alabaré helped an additional 27 homeless ex-armed forces personnel in Salisbury through our dedicated Homes for Veterans and a further 200 across the south west and Wales.

Alabaré is also a key partner in the new Wilton Hill Veterans Village which will help homeless Veterans make a successful transition to civilian life.

We believe the best way to meet the needs of everyone who is homeless is through a strong working partnership with all organisations.

Andrew Lord, Alabaré Chief Executive, Salisbury

Party politics

FOLLOWING Salisbury’s failure to take over Laverstock and Ford Parish Council there is a very important lesson to be learned.

Salisbury City Council was rent with internal disagreement, blame, vitriol and name calling.

This was because it makes its decisions on the basis of party politics.

SCC has much to learn from its smaller neighbour where party politics are left outside of the meeting  and all decisions are made on what is best for Laverstock & Ford and its residents.

Steve Hannath Dinton Trip thanks HAVING been accidentally tripped up in Minster Street last Saturday, I was astounded by how many folks offered a helping hand.

One lovely lady even called on my employer and brought back a staff member to help me.

However, Gemma and her young son Jack stayed with me until I was back on my feet so grateful thanks to both of them.

Scaffolders working across the road who saw my plight scrambled down and offered to help me stand.

In conclusion I would like to say to the young boy who accidentally tripped me, good often comes from bad and the caring people were wonderful.

Mary Wolff, Salisbury

Great sadness

AS you will be aware, there was much discussion at Salisbury CC Full Council meeting on the subjects of The Boundary Review and Asset Transfers.

It is with great sadness that two of Salisbury Councillors, Cllr Ian Tomes (St Martins and Cathedral) and Ricky Rogers (Bemerton), decided, either through malice or cronyism, to vote against the best interests of their residents in favour of residents of another parish.

The other Councillor Brian Dalton (Harnham) didn’t even bother to turn up to vote on these critical matters.

The net result is that the people of Salisbury will, downstream, be paying larger increase in Precepts than need be, thanks to these Councillors.”

Cllr C T Rogers, Salisbury

Manor appeal

DID you visit the gardens of Stratford Tony Manor on July 20? Do you own a silver/blue car with 60 in the registration? Then please ring 01722 780423.

Name and address supplied Larmer thanks A HUGE thank you to The Journal for running the Larmer Tree Festival competition. Having never attended a festival before, winning the tickets was an incentive to ‘give it a go’ and what a fantastic night we had. Jack Savoretti (I must admit to not having heard his music) was brilliant and as for Jamie Cullum, wow wow wow!

The gardens are the perfect setting for such a family friendly festival and we will return in the future,so again, thank you.

J Holland, Haxton