Council leader welcomes West Herts Hospital funding announcement

The Dacorum Borough Council Leader has welcomed the announcement that the Government will completely fund the West Herts Hospital rebuild.

Councillor Ron Tindall has vowed to make sure Hemel gets its fair share of Government funding for a new health facility.

On Friday (27 May) Health secretary, Steve Barclay, revealed that Watford General Hospital’s rebuild will be “fully funded”.

It is one of 40 hospitals the Government has vowed to complete by 2030, as part of the Conservative Party manifesto commitments made during the 2019 General Election.

Today, Councillor Ron Tindall said: “As the new Leader of Dacorum Borough Council, I welcome the funding announcement for a new acute hospital for South West Herts.

“The council will now work to ensure that Hemel has its fair share of funding.

“We want to see a new modern and attractive health facility for the people of Hemel Hempstead, located in the heart of the town centre, providing a wide range of services, which meet the health needs of local people.

“This is an opportunity that must be grasped to reduce health inequalities in Dacorum and to support the regeneration of the town centre.

“We look forward to working in partnership with the NHS and neighbouring authorities to try to make this happen for the people of Hemel Hempstead.”

Hemel Hempstead MP Sir Mike Penning who has campaigned for a hospital to be built outside of Watford and closer to his constituents also welcomed the news.

He said: “I very much welcome this news. I and community action groups such as the New Hospital Campaign group have been campaigning for a completely new acute hospital for all in West Hertfordshire and I am delighted that a fully funded completely new building has been given the go ahead today.

“We are understandably disappointed that it will be on the existing Watford site when it is so obvious that a new site, equally accessible from Hemel Hempstead, St Albans and Watford would have been the more sensible option, but I concede that that battle has now been lost.”