Central and Eastern Cheshire Primary Care Trust (PCT) have announced that their plans to build a new Medical Centre at the front of the Festival Hall in Alderley Edge have been delayed due to a lack of funding.
A statement issued by the PCT said "It has been decided that the project to create a new Health Centre in the town is to be put on hold until at least the autumn of this year. This also includes projects in Knutsford, Northwich, Congleton, Middlewich and Scholar Green.
"The Primary Care Trust had planned to deliver these schemes with growth in NHS finances and now with a change in financial circumstances projects would have to be completed at no extra cost. If cost savings cannot be found, it is unlikely that any formal activity will be possible until after the general spending plans of the new Government become clearer."
However, Councillor Frank Keegan remains confident the project will go ahead. He said "The Chief Executive of the PCT, Mike Pyrah, met myself and Dr Thompson at the Festival Hall on the Wednesday 26th May at which Mike Pyrah agreed that the development was back on.
"Later that day an email was sent out including Alderley Edge and cancelling certain projects, but that changed after our meeting on the morning of 26th. We are due to meet again soon to work out the final details. Perhaps by the time the Parish meets on Monday 14th June, there will be more information to report to the meeting."
Councillor Keegan added "The main point is that Alderley Edge will have a new Medical Centre."
Alderley Edge Parish Council took over management of the Festival Hall last year following a review, carried out by consultants on behalf of Macclesfield Borough Council in 2005, concluded that the hall was underused, losing money and out of touch with the modern community.
With the Festival Hall under threat from being demolished and sold to developers for affordable housing, the Parish Councillors fought to save the hall, which was built for the annual Alderley Edge Festival in the 1930's, as a community facility.
Plans to relocate the George Street surgery have been in the pipeline since at least 2006 but discussions reached a stalemate last year because the Parish Council refused to commit to building the new centre until the PCT committed to renting the building, whilst the PCT wouldn't commit until they knew how much it would cost to build the centre and the rent they would be expected to pay.
Speaking with Nicola Kent today, Premises Manager at the PCT, she said "Our official statement is that all ongoing schemes are on hold until the autumn, with the only caveat being if they can be made cost neutral. This is a great partnership scheme, which we really want to be back on."
"In the original figures the Parish Council gave us the rent was very expensive and my understanding is that when Mike Pyrah met with the Parish Council recently it was agreed that the project could progress if they could make us a deal."
Hopefully we'll have some more news following next week's Parish Council meeting, which takes place at the Festival Hall on Monday 14th June at 7.30pm. As always, members of the public are welcome to attend.
Comments
Here's what readers have had to say so far. Why not add your thoughts below.
We need a new medical centre: The Parish Council want one and the George St. practice medics want one and the potential pharmacist wants one; so come on PTC 'Extractum Digitum'!
We could always ask George Osborne to 'put in a good word' for us!
If the PTC is unable to proceed, then there will be a need to decide exactly where to go with the Festival Hall, instead of the present situation of 'marking time' until the proposed new medical centre does or does not go ahead.
What do people think/wish?
My own view (just mine, not the Parish Council's and not the view of any other Parish Councillor) is that, if the medical centre does not go ahead, the decrepit eyesore that is the Festival Hall should be demolished and rebuilt as a new, fit-for-purpose hall, to serve the parish for another 50+ years.
There isn't really much to add that we haven't already covered above except that the PCT had wanted to cut down the size of the medical centre but Councillor Keegan said "The Parish Council will make it happen on the original template even if they don't need all the space, I dislike the idea of adding on at a later stage."
When asked by Mike Williamson if he had a timeframe Frank Keegan said the aim is to have it "all done and dusted and actually moving forward by the end of September by which I mean have an agreement signed, planning application lodged etc."
Apparently George Osborne is meeting with the PCT this week so the councillors commented that maybe he can obtain written confirmation that they are going ahead with the new medical centre for Alderley Edge.