Leek residents continued to make their feelings clear, with a strong presence at last night’s council meeting. Personal stories made for a heart rending account of how the Tory cuts are decimating Leek’s health provision. Independent Councillor, Stephen Wales, gave an account of having to travel to Meir for a simple blood test. At 8am there were already 30 in the queue, with no parking spaces available. Others spoke of the appalling conditions in the private nursing homes identified as being a replacement for Leek’s lost beds.

Labour Councillor Charlotte Atkins, along with independent Pamela Wood, fed back their experiences of trying to deal with the Clinical Commissioning Group.

A picture emerged of failure to consult, unnecessary limits on public attendance at so called ‘consultation meetings’, and cosy little meetings with the ruling Tory group. Meetings to which our non Tory elected councillors are excluded.

We will be putting up regular updates as facts emerge. This is an important fight for a decent health service provision in Staffordshire Moorlands set against a national backdrop of creeping privatisation. An agenda driven by Tory ideology that puts profit first.

Leek Town Council. Health Working Group Meeting