King's Lynn Queen Elizabeth Hospital, hoverfly, Brexit, tenants' pets and fisheries in Lynn News letters

I think Mr Payne’s personal attack on councillor Rust is shameful and that he absolutely misses the point, and I hope he has the good sense to realise that we all need to work together and his contribution is petty and harmful to the greater good. It would be more useful if he contacted the council, and perhaps spoke at our next full council meeting to emphasise the need for the borough to take its finger out and support the campaign vigorously.

The background is that there were seven hospitals built in the 1980’s using this technology and a lifespan then of 30 years was deemed acceptable. Two are being replaced lock stock and barrel (Ipswich and Bury St Edmunds) and of the other five (one is in Michael Gove’s constituency) the QEH is in by far the worst condition.

I think readers should be reminded that a single borough councillor, Jo Rust, has been determined in keeping the QEH dilemma in the public eye, and we should all be most grateful to her and respect her hard work. This is especially so as the council itself whilst it claims to be working in the background is almost invisible. Indeed, at the meeting to which Mr Payne refers I did spell out the actions I would expect a concerned council to make. I was called “ despicable” when I dared suggest at a recent council meeting that the lack of direct effort being made by the council is shameful .

The campaign object must be to involve the electorate (which is Jo’s approach) and our own borough council, who is well equipped to do this is just not visible. We need a meaningful petition of not 15,000 but 150,000 signatures. Do this by prominent signage on borough and county-owned sites, such as Hardwick and other roundabouts, signage on all council vehicles (the refuse collection fleet) and direct leafleting with all communications from the council to inform the electorate and encourage them to sign the petition. Simply, it is not too late.

I think James Wild MP has been effective at raising the issue in Parliament. These are politicians from different ends of the political spectrum and they work independently to achieve the same outcome for West Norfolk, Jo through her links into the community and James through his establishment links. I have written to him to support his efforts and draw attention to the special case that is the QEH, that it requires replacing on safety grounds and not as part of the strategic case for new hospitals.

The essential problem is cost and Mr Johnson’s campaign trail promise to build 40 new hospitals. As these cost around £1 billion a throw, the budget of £3.7 billion was never going to allow that and so the government is now trying to argue that a new block or a new wing is in fact a new hospital! As I write, the government has indicated that it will fund a further 8 new hospitals and the application list is bursting. My point is that the need here in West Norfolk is safety driven not business case driven, and the QEH should not be competing for resources on the basis of a business case.

We also should be aware of what happens if a new hospital is not delivered. There will be an inevitable run down of the QEH and it will cease to be able to offer the full range of services required, which will be devastating for West Norfolk, so this is a fight we should engage fully in.

Personally, I believe the need for the new hospital is the biggest issue of all in West Norfolk and beyond, and the squabbling about the Town Plan is an unnecessary distraction. Our borough council should be working flat out to make this happen, and it is not. Jo is, and so I think is James. We all need to sign the petition to demonstrate the intensity of the need.

The one other party who is not pulling her weight is Liz Truss, MP for SW Norfolk and God’s gift to diplomacy. I said at the meeting referred to above that I would be prepared to stand against her in her very safe seat on the single issue of the QEH with the intention of taking 20,000 votes. It would be shocking if I won but I might cut her majority noticeably and show the depth of feeling. If this gets her to fight as James is doing for us it would be an excellent outcome.

Tom Ryves,

Independent borough councillor, Methwold

PHOTO

That was a hoverfly

Re the pictured of the striped insect (Viewpoint, June 17) photographed by Rio Bright in Bright’s Wood, Tilney St Lawrence, I think Rio’s insect is a hoverfly Scaeva pyrastri. It looks like a wasp but hovers when flying. rather like a helicopter, then flies off. Good photograph.

Alistair Milner,

Nelson Street, King’s Lynn

EU

We should rejoin now

I am writing to you with concerns of how badly the UK government has dealt with Brexit. I’ve been talking to a lot of people and they are in agreement that we should never have left the EU in the first place. Isn’t it about time we cut our losses and rejoin the EU at any cost. It would solve a great many problems, such as workers, trade, stability, culture, tourism, agriculture, etc.

Callum Stewart,

Russell Street, King’s Lynn

PETS

Welcome for proposal

With the number of people privately renting increasing year on year, and dog ownership at an all time high, we welcome the Fairer Private Rented Sector White Paper published by the UK Government, which includes proposals to make it easier for tenants to have much-loved pets in their rented homes.

Sadly, one of the biggest reasons we see dogs handed in to our rehoming centres is due to a change in the owner’s circumstances, such as being unable to live in a rented property with a pet.

As well as this, people living in private rented accommodation are often not able to enjoy the benefits and companionship of a pet just because of the type of housing they are living in. We believe that the benefits of pet ownership shouldn’t be exclusive to homeowners, but open to private and social renters as well.

For most dog owners, being separated from their dog is no different from being separated from a family member, so the introduction of the legislation proposed in the White Paper will help ensure that fewer owners are forced to make the heart-breaking decision to give up their beloved pets.

To increase the availability of pet friendly properties, Dogs Trust has been providing advice and resources to pet owners, landlords and letting agencies for more than a decade through our Lets with Pets scheme.

We welcome the opportunity to work alongside the Government and other animal welfare organisations on the details of the legislation, to ensure it will effect real change in helping keep people and their pets together.

James Hickman,

Head of outreach projects, Dogs Trust

FISHING

Irony at this threat

Fishermen held a protest outside Lynn Town Hall about the threat to their industry being killed off over the deliberations of Eastern Inshore Fisheries and Conservation Authority (Lynn News, June 10). Livelihoods are potentially at stake if cockle fishing is ceased!

It is an irony that people in Norfolk mainly voted for Brexit partly to end Brussels interference in the Fishing Industry, and now fishing is at risk in the eastern counties since.

This dilemma must be resolved, as it is an internal matter. It is a litmus test for extrication from the political and monetary union of the EU.

David Fleming,

Paradise Court, Downham