Opinion, Watford Observer, 9 February 2025: Labour accused of 'betrayal' over Watford General Hospital | Watford Observer
So Labour’s betrayal of the people of Watford is confirmed: the redevelopment of Watford General Hospital has been postponed and will not start until 2032. Under Conservative plans it would have been opened by 2030.
Labour claim the money was not really available and blame the last government. But the reality is that they have simply chosen to spend that money on other things. It is a crying shame.
I imagine our new Labour MP is deeply embarrassed to discover he has so little influence with the Government and must be humiliated to realise that they made him tell us at the last election the plan was safe with them. On top of the broken promises about the National Insurance tax rise and abandoning 11,000 local residents who lost the winter fuel allowance, presumably he is re-considering his position as a member of Labour parliamentary party. Or at least he should be.
On top of this, Labour have started on an expensive local government review to replace the current two tiers with a unitary authority. It seems they are intent on abolishing the borough council and the position of mayor.
Given this review, we should start thinking about how to have effective local government in Watford even within a large unitary authority. One idea is to have really local parish or town councils as is the case in many areas surrounding Watford already.
And not just one for the whole of the current borough.
Why not have local councils for Garston or Oxhey or other local communities with their own distinct identities and interests? We should start work on this immediately.
Stephen Woodard
Chairman, Watford Conservatives
