CALLS for Banbury’s maternity services and critical care to stay rooted at the Horton General Hospital have been backed by Cherwell District Council.

On Monday the council’s executive approved a report making its position clear on proposals to transfer service away from the Horton to the John Radcliffe Hospital in Oxford as part of a cross-county ‘sustainability and transformation plan’.

The proposals being put forward by Oxfordshire Clinical Commissioning Group, which are currently being consulted on, would also see acute stroke services moved to Oxford.

Barry Wood, leader of Cherwell District Council, said: “The campaign to protect hospital services for the people of North Oxfordshire is uniting people from across the political spectrum.

“As the district council we do not have the power to decide which services the Horton hospital will retain.

“However, healthcare is the most essential of all public services and, as representatives of a very large and growing catchment area, we must do everything we can to ensure that our constituents’ voices are heard.”

The consultation on the Oxfordshire arm of the STP has been split into two phases.

Phase one, which largely affects North Oxfordshire, is out for consultation now.

At the meeting councillors also re-iterated their opposition to the split on the basis that it would be harder for residents to properly make their views known or understand the outcome of changes.