21st September 2005

The Department of Health has ordered that further bids must be sought for the 31-acre site before a decision is made on the future. Greens are angered that the Standish Mutual Care (SMC) bid seems to have been sidelined.

The SMC bid grew out of the Save Our Standish group and had support from many groups, to set up a unique health and social care community offering many NHS services.

Cllr. John Marjoram has submitted a question to Council for tomorrow, in the hope of eliciting more support for the bid. It reads: "I am reliable told that a commercial  'For Sale sign' has been posted on the Standish Hospital site. In the light of this can I ask the Leader of the Council  what the current status of the community, (SNC) bid is and if there is anything that this Council can do about it?"