Labour Councillor for Hartlepool Jonathan Brash is leading a cross party call for a multi-million-pound Centre for Excellence at the seaside town’s University Hospital.

The councillor, also hoping to be Labour’s future Hartlepool MP, wrote to Chancellor Jeremy Hunt campaigning for the centre that would host specialists in Orthopaedics, Gynaecology and General Surgery.

In the letter, Councillor Brash said: “This multi-million pound investment would make Hartlepool a beacon for hospital care in the North-East and be an important step in securing our hospital’s long term future.

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“It will improve health outcomes, secure our hospital's future, and actually save money in the medium to long term. It has my complete support.”

The £40 million bid, submitted by the North Tees and Hartlepool Foundation is currently backed by 13 councillors including Mr Brash and will be put forward to council at its next meeting later this month.

The Labour councillor has also met with leaders at the North Tees and Hartlepool NHS Foundation Trust as well as writing to the Health Minister, Will Quince MP, urging him to green light the plans.

Campaigners are hoping that the centre could gain funds at Jeremy Hunt's next budget, that will take place early tomorrow afternoon (March 15). 

Councillor Brash launched a petition to further the bid, stating it would make an NHS "fit for the future".

He said: "I’ve written to the Chancellor urging him to make the money available to get this plan off the ground. They’ve cut so much over the last 13 years, it is time we got something back.

“As someone from Hartlepool, who is raising my family in the town, our hospital means so much to me. It serves my loved ones, just like everyone else in our town."

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Ahead of the next full council meeting, The Northern Echo approached Hartlepool Borough Council to find out wether the bid would be backed.

A spokesperson said: "Any motion which is submitted to Full Council will be considered and discussed at the meeting of the Full Council."