Divulge (From Barry And District News)

Divulge

I WOULD like to take the opportunity to reply to the story by Sue Vincent Jones on the Sully hospital, 'Labour Under Fire.'

Cllr Anthony Ernest made allegations about certain local Labour party members being in favour of Sully Hospital being used as a refuge for asylum seekers. This is totally wrong as there has been no-one working harder than John Smith, our local labour MP, Jane Hutt our local Assembly Member and Rhodri Morgan, the First Minister of the Welsh Assembly.

The point being made is that the Home Office officials were given permission to inspect Sully Hospital. This is correct as the hospital authority advertised the vacant Sully hospital throughout Britain.

The auditor would require substantial reasons as to why permission was not given for an inspection of the hospital, for he would be seeking the best financial return for the property.

That is not making agreements with the Home Office to turn Sully Hospital into a refuge for asylum seekers.

It is a different story behind the scenes, as cllr Ernest himself stated at the Sully Community Council meeting, that he and the other Vale of Glamorgan councillors had met in camera (secret) with Home Office officials to discuss Sully Hospital's future. Cllr Ernest states that he cannot divulge any information from this meeting. Who is really trying to achieve a viable alternative to an asylum refuge for Sully Hospital? It is the Labour party members with help from others, such as Sully Community Council.

This council was the only local authority to hold public meetings on the question. It proposed that the Vale of Glamorgan County Council agree to changes in the planning criteria and that the local MP, John Smith, AM Jane Hutt and any others were called on to ensure the hospital is not used as an asylum refuge.

So Cllr Ernest, get off your pre-election platform, tell the public the truth and not only part of the truth. You are not squeaky clean on this issue are you? Give us the information of your clandestine meeting with the Home Office Officials.

Raymond Cox Ex-Vale of Glamorgan County Councillor for Sully and Lavernock Clevedon Avenue Sully