Wyre Forest District Council turned down an emergency motion from Independent Health Concern deploring any further downgrading of services at Kidderminster Hospital on the grounds that the consultation document had not been released.

Two of the options for consideration by the acute hospitals trust in a bid to save £20 million are the closure and sale of the Kidderminster Hospital site and the linking/merging by Redditch Hospital with one of the Birmingham trusts.

One of the remits of the district council is consideration of the well-being of residents as demonstrated by Redditch Borough Council who have surveyed all local residents in their desire to protect the community they serve.

We believe Wyre Forest District Council should have shown a similar level of concern now.

The implications of the closure of Kidderminster Hospital and sale of the site are totally unacceptable. The devastating results of this will mean that every single individual in Wyre Forest and South Shropshire will have to travel to Worcester, or to Redditch, or any other nominated hospital for everything, including something as simple as a blood test.

Other parties appear to be waiting to decide what political advantage can be gained before standing up for the health and well-being of Wyre Forest residents. We are not. In our opinion this would be contemptible.

KEN STOKES,

JILL FAIRBROTHER MILLIS,

MIKE SHELLIE,

TONY WILLIAMS, PAT RIMELL,

BRIAN GLASS,

IRENE DOLAN

MAVIS BAILLIE

Independent Health Concern councillors