FOR a number of years I was a member of 'Save Our Services' and worked with others to set up a Social Enterprise in the Forest of Dean.
It was Sir Ian Carruthers who came to the Dean to spearhead this; some £150,000 of public money was poured in, which was achieved with no backing from the PCT to setting up the CIC (Community Interest Company).
I would take your minds back to when the Dean had a PCG, a local group running our hospitals here in the Forest, but then the Gloucestershire PCT decided to disband it and run our hospitals themselves. That is when Steven Golledge came in to close our hospitals. Now the present incumbent is going ahead setting up a Social Enterprise for the whole of Gloucestershire.
The Government wants the Big Society. We already have it here in the Dean, should we not press for our CIC? For which the thousands of pounds of public money was used to create the Big Society in the Forest.
An old saying goes as follows 'It's better the devil you know, than one you don't'.
Why can't Foresters take our hospitals on?
I also understand that the Government has not yet decided who will own our hospitals. It should be our CIC, because they are built by our forefathers. Food for thought for you all!
A concerned Forester, a true awd butt born and bread, who, cares for his Forest of Dean.
Maurice Bent
Ruardean Hill