Councillors are demanding to know why Bicester will not get a new 30-bed community hospital.

Plans for a £13m hospital on land off Oxford Road have been shelved in favour of proposals to build a £3m primary care centre on the same site.

At a meeting of Cherwell District Council's executive on Monday night to discuss future healthcare facilities in Bicester, Kidlington and the surrounding area, the North East Oxfordshire Primary Care Trust claimed it had been forced to downgrade the plans because it could not get funding from the Government.

The centre would offer services including out-patient clinics, X-ray facilities and a day hospital.

Councillors agreed to support the plan but called on the trust to ensure sufficient land was retained at the site to build a hospital if funding became available in the future.

Executive leader Barry Wood said: "The council remains bitterly disappointed that there is no plan to provide a 30-bed community hospital and we would like a full explanation as to why this initial 'promise' is not being kept.

"But we would prefer to see a new primary care centre rather then no improvements at all for the current hospital." North East Oxfordshire Primary Care Trust has put forward proposals to build a £3m primary care centre on land it owns off Oxford Road, Bicester, instead of a £13m 30-bed community hospital at the same location.

The move came at a meeting of Cherwell District Council's executive on Monday night.

Councillors were responding to a public consultation over future healthcare facilities in Bicester, Kidlington and the surrounding area.

The PCT claims it is the only feasible option as funding for a 30-bed hospital has not been forthcoming from the Government.

Beds would be commissioned from local nursing homes.

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