Agenda item

Purpose: To consider the motion originally submitted in the name of Councillor Alan Macro at the Council meeting on 17 March 2022, following discussion on the matter at the Health Scrutiny Committee on 23 May 2022.

Councillor Graham Bridgman declared an interest in Agenda Item 17 by virtue of being the Council’s nominated Governor at the Royal Berkshire NHS Foundation Trust. As his interest was an Other Registrable Interest he determined to remain to take part in the debate and vote on the matter.

Councillor Richard Somner declared an interest in Agenda Item 17 by virtue of the fact that he was employed by the Royal Berkshire NHS Foundation Trust. As his interest was a Disclosable Pecuniary Interest he determined to leave the meeting during the course of consideration of the matter.

The Council considered a report (Agenda Item 17) regarding the Motion originally submitted in the name of Councillor Alan Macro at the Council meeting on 17 March 2022, following discussion on the matter at the Health Scrutiny Committee on 23 May 2022.

MOTION: Proposed by Councillor Graham Bridgman and seconded by Councillor Lee Dillon:

“That Council, following consideration at Health Scrutiny Committee, approves the following Motion:

Council notes that:

·                The Royal Berkshire Hospital Foundation Trust has been consulting on various options to re-develop the hospital. Several options involve various levels of redevelopment of the existing site and one option is the building of a new hospital on a new site.

·                The existing site is very cramped and contains a mixture of new, old and very old buildings, some of which are pre-fabricated. Many have very poor insulation leading to uncomfortable conditions for patients in hot or cold weather and also to poor energy efficiency.

·                Re-development of the existing site is difficult because of its cramped and dense layout.

·                It is very difficult for residents of some parts of West Berkshire to reach the hospital using public transport.

·                Car parking in and around the hospital is restricted and expensive.

·                It can be time consuming to travel to the hospital by any means, including ambulance, at peak times.

Council therefore resolves that its preferred option is the building of a new hospital on a new site that is readily accessed by West Berkshire residents by both private and public transport, and that this preference be conveyed to the Royal Berkshire Hospital Foundation Trust.”

Councillor Bridgman in recommending approval of the Motion highlighted how it did not seek to identify a specific site but instead put forward a not unreasonable request that any new site should be convenient for the residents of West Berkshire. Councillor Bridgman had invited the Health Scrutiny Committee to reflect that the location would ultimately depend on the amount of funding allocated by the Treasury for the project since the cost of refurbishing and redeveloping the current site would be different to the cost of building a brand new hospital elsewhere.  

Councillor Alan Macro advised he had originally proposed the Motion following Reading Borough Council and Wokingham Borough Council publishing their views regarding the future of the Hospital. Reading Borough Council had resolved that its preferred option was to rebuild or redevelop the existing site. Wokingham Borough Council had proposed a new site on the south side of the M4 around halfway between Junctions 11 and 10. Councillor Macro highlighted some of the problems with the existing site such as the energy inefficient buildings, the insufficient and expensive parking on site, and the difficulties for some residents to travel there by public transport. He felt it would be difficult to redevelop the existing site without negatively impacting patient services and would be cost prohibitive. Councillor Macro thought that the site suggested by Wokingham Borough Council would be almost impossible for West Berkshire residents to reach using public transport, and would be time consuming for ambulances coming from this district if the M4 was blocked or congested. He felt that West Berkshire needed and deserved a modern, new hospital that was big enough for its population.   

Councillor Tony Linden advised he had recently attended a meeting of Building Berkshire Together and had received information on the costs for the proposals. With regards to the redevelopment of the current site there were plans for a £750m programme and a £950m programme, and the costs of a new build would be around £1.3b (all excluding inflation costs). Councillor Linden also referred to the defence planning zone, which did not permit development and would effectively rule out Junction 11 of the M4, leaving Junction 12 or Junction 10 as possible locations for a new build. Given the small size of the current site, Councillor Linden supported a move to an alternative site which he felt would be more useful for the residents of two-thirds of the district.  

Councillor Pask recalled the discussions held when he was appointed by Newbury District Council to the West Berkshire Community Health Council, and the view held even then that a new build would be best if the land and budget was available. He noted that Newbury had a fantastic District Hospital, built with easy access for most residents in West Berkshire, and that places like Swindon and Oxford had built new hospitals on the outskirts of their towns with good transport access. He felt it was time that a hospital was created in a built up area such as Reading and therefore supported the Motion.

Councillor Jo Stewart indicated her support for the Motion and advised that some of her residents preferred to not use the Royal Berkshire Hospital and instead used other facilities in places like Thatcham. She noted that parking was horrendous on site and felt it was time that West Berkshire had a really good, quality facility.  

Councillor Tony Vickers noted that the public transport links from his area to the current site were very good, and that any new location would have to take account of the need for railway / bus connections as well as parking for cars. 

Councillor Lee Dillon observed that there was wide support for this Motion and had nothing further he wished to add to the debate.

Councillor Bridgman referred to the figures quoted by Councillor Linden which indicated that redeveloping the site would not be cost prohibitive, and might in fact cost less than building new elsewhere. He also added a plea that public transport access be improved should the hospital remain at its current site. 

The Motion was put to the vote and duly RESOLVED.