MADAM, On January 10th, I and the Deputy Mayor travelled to the Wye Valley Trust Offices based at Hereford Hospital to meet the Chairman of the Trust Board, Mr Mark Curtis, and present the petition of over 5,800 signatures.

It was pointed out to Mr Curtis that there was a very strong feeling in Ross that the MIU should be saved. Although some visitors to the Town had signed the petition, the total numbers that had been collected equate to a large percentage of the population of the town.

We did have an in-depth discussion over the issue and Mr Curtis indicated that the service was expensive and much would depend on whether the Clinical Commissioning Group, which comes into being in April 2013, decide to fund this project

As Mayor, I attended a meeting of the Health & Social Care Overview and Scrutiny Committee at Brockington and during public participation asked the following question.

"Yesterday a petition of nearly 6,000 names was handed in to the Wye Valley Trust Board in relation to the part closure of the Minor Injuries Unit (MIU) at Ross (in the evenings and weekends). My question to you is in relation to this specific issue and is 'As the Health & Social Care Overview and Scrutiny Committee, can the people of Ross-on-Wye rely upon your support regarding the importance of Ross (and Leominster) having a MIU, and that this service will continue to be commissioned and supported - thus avoiding the many people suffering from minor injuries, having to travel to the Accident and Emergency Dept at the Wye Valley Trust Hospital in Hereford and who end up clogging up the service being provided there?"

The Chairman of the committee said that the question would be considered and a reply would be sent.

Although the petition has now been presented, we must try to use influence where we can to save this much loved facility in the Town.

David Ravenscroft, Mayor of Ross-on-Wye