TM Emsworth Residents’ Association THEEMS Community Newspaper In this issue First published in 1977 Winter 2020 Health & Wellbeing Fair p15 Remembrance Events p16 Christmas Events p17 Emsworth’s new Save our Surgery gets the library go-ahead at last Words by Theo Schofield The NHS Estates and Technology Transformation Fund has approved the £4 million funding for the relocation of the Emsworth Medical Practice into a renovated Emsworth Victoria Cottage Hospital (EVCH), and this will now definitely go ahead. A contractor has been chosen, Mountjoy, who will be starting work on the site towards the end of January. Work must be complete by early 2021. This is the end of a long journey, which practice, which had 2,000 patients when started when the Hospital was closed it opened, now has 13,000. The Practice is in 2012. Plans were drawn up for the part of a Primary Care Network with the Practice to move into the building then, two practices on Hayling Island which but were halted by the NHS reorgani- has been set up to deliver new services sation that included handing all unused and support individual practices. Hampshire County Council have proposed closing Emsworth Library sites to a newly formed company, NHS The project has been brought to fru- Property Services, who had a remit to ition by the efforts of a large number As The Ems was going to press we learnt of maximise their gains, making the move of people, including the partners them- Above: proposed plan for the new surgery the shocking news that Hampshire County unaffordable. Below: proposed South elevation for the hospital selves, the Clinical Commissioning Group, Council (HCC) was proposing to close Following a long period of failed ne- and their professional advisors. Our po- A GJ updated as client comments 18.01.19 new projecting canopy raised roof to central with suspended signage section existing dormers Emsworth Library along with nine others gotiations with NHS Property Services replaced with litical representatives have given their rooflights studio four opaque panel to new projecting the partners decided to try and build a bottom panes of canopy with active support, as have many individuals windows suspended signage architects ltd across the county. Closing the library would tile hanging to from elevation of new new surgery on the land reservedstaircase extension for and organisations in the Stakeholders Tollgate Estates, Stanbridge Earls, Romsey S051 0HE rip the very heart out of our community. raised roof to single-storey t: 01794 511255 wing with cladding at high level [email protected] community use at Redlands Grange. Group. Crucially the Friendswww.studiofourarchitects.com of Emsworth client However, people in Emsworth wanted Community HealthEmsworth agreedSurgery to contribute We need to make it very clear to HCC that project staff entrance refurbishment of VCH, Emsworth columns to central windows new glazed rear single-storey section re-built existing columns to support canopy removed entrance lobby balcony support canopy a new surgery, but in the centre of the Architects Four Studio £65,000 from their endowment to fund any closure is totally unacceptable. Please title 00 East (front) elevation 00 South (side) elevation 3D views 1 : 100 1 : 100 town. They have an affection for the the furniture andscale equipmentpaper drawn checked in the new contact HCC now and let them know that “This is excellent for Emsworth A3 GJ gj date job no. dwg. no. rev. no. Cottage Hospital and wanted to see it surgery. 12/21/18 38105 131 A new staircase raised central existing dormer extension section of roof windows replaced new raised central the people of Emsworth will not be pushed with rooflights section of roof and our wider community. The new new extension for EVCH was built in 1898 and trans- used for the community. Whenstaircase the “For new entrance surgery will enhance the current around. Sale”lobby signs went up on the Hospital over ferred to the NHS in 1948. In 2014 it was 400 people attended a public meeting in provision and ensure that it is fit designated as an Asset of Community August 2018. There was overwhelming for the next decade and beyond.” Value by Havant Borough Council. In We defeated the hospital closure; we saved the land off support for the Hospital option. The Cllr Lulu Bowerman 2015 a survey undertaken by Emsworth Westwood Close from unwanted development (see P6) and raised roof to single-storey existing window clinical waste waiting room new plantroom plantroom extension new glazed link new first floor Clinical wing with claddingCommissioning at high level openings retained Groupstorage courtyardagreedextension extension Forum demonstrated overwhelming we made the Dolphin Quay developers pay up their social 00 North (side) elevation 00 West (rear) elevation to1 : 100 embark on a public consultation and options appraisal.1 : 100 The support for the building to be used as a surgery/community housing contributions (see P4). Our library can and will be result was the Business Plan which has just been approved. health facility. saved but only if you make it clear to HCC that it is an essen- BGJgeneral update 17.05.19 AGJannotation added 26.02.19 tial asset to our town. Complete the online consultation now: This will provide the Practice with a much larger building Once the new GPPRELIMINARY surgery has opened it is likely that the part- enabling them to cope with a growing population, and al- ners will sell the old studiosurgery four in North Street which they jointly www.hants.gov.uk/library-consultation architects ltd Paper copies of the forms are available from the library. lowing them to develop a wider range of services. Crucially it own. As part of theTollgate Estates, scheme, Stanbridge Earls, Romsey S051 0HE the practice’s Westbourne branch t: 01794 511255 [email protected] www.studiofourarchitects.com should help them recruit and keep doctors and other staff. The surgery will be retained.client Emsworth Surgery (more on P2) project refurbishment of VCH, Emsworth title elevations as proposed scale paper drawn checked 1 : 100 A1 KB GJ date job no. dwg. no. rev. no. 12/20/18 38105 130 B file Z:\My Documents\Projects\38105 VCH refurb 190115 Central P_Gareth.Jenkins_00204.rvt Page 2 www.emsworth.org.uk Winter 2020 Emsworth Residents’ Association Chairmans’s Report ERA and EBA Threat to close collaborate online the Library in Words by Ali Couch, ERA communications Emsworth It was agreed, last November, that the Emsworth Residents’ Words by Theo Schofield, Chair of the Association (ERA) and Emsworth Emsworth Residents’ Association Business Association (EBA) Just as we were celebrating the agreement should pool resources and to move the Surgery into the Hospital we merge websites. The popular have been hit by the news that Hampshire website emsworth.org.uk County Council (HCC) is conducting a consul- built by local marketing and tation on proposals for their Library Service design agency Oyster Design, which include the possibility of closing the was chosen to represent the Library in Emsworth. The ERA believes that town’s business and community If this were to happen it would be a major interests. sign-up today through the website!). blow to the town and its residents, and we The website now features information Whether you are a member of the ERA or not, need to make a robust and well-argued Emsworth Library gives to schools, children, about both associations and the focus is to in- you can also get involved with Emsworth’s so- response. and to other community groups. crease its appeal with more news and events, cial media channels, post comments on issues The County Council need to find savings In my view the Library is a very valuable and to add resources to attract more visitors important to you and ask us to help (or to check of £80 million by April 2021, and the Library asset for the community in Emsworth, and to the town. We are also using our social me- whether we can help). Services contribution is £1.76m. They pro- it would be a major loss to the town and its dia channels to promote the website. We also You can contact us at any time by sending pose to achieve this by closing up to 10 residents if it were to close. People who care want to use the website to share community us a message on Facebook or Instagram (@ libraries and/or reducing staffed opening about and value our Library need to demon- issues and developments better, and attract emsworthresidents), going to emsworth.org. hours. The reasons that Emsworth has been strate this by responding to the consulta- more residents to shop local, engage with lo- uk or email: emsworthresidentsassociation@ included in the list of 10 libraries identified tion, either on line at www.hants.gov.uk/ cal issues and, of course, join the ERA (you can outlook.com for possible closure is a lower number of library-consultation, or by getting a paper visits and a higher than average cost per copy from the Library. open hour. The Library is in the centre of The report states that their second priority Who are the Friends of Emsworth the town, but the premises are leasehold is to support healthy, creative communities, and relatively expensive compared to some including by establishing council-run librar- Community Health? other Libraries in the County. ies as “community hubs”. We need to take Words by Irene Craig, Secretary and Reg Harnet, Chairman They argue that Emsworth is within the them at their word and consider alternative catchment area of Havant Library, which accommodation for the Library in Emsworth They were founded in 1949, and were orig- can be found on their website.