OFFICIALS behind a delayed new health centre in Burntwood have been told to “get on with it” by a senior councillor.
A meeting of Lichfield District Council heard this week that a new facility on the site of a former youth club at Cherry Close could still be three years away.
It comes despite the previous closure of a temporary health centre at Burntwood Leisure Centre.
The ongoing delays were highlighted by Cllr Darren Ennis, Labour representative for Chasetown ward, at a meeting this week.
He said:
“This health centre has been delayed over and over again to the detriment of Burntwood.
“We lost a youth centre because of it and we lost a skate park because of it. Now we are being told work may – and I emphasise, may – start in 2026 and will take two years to build.
“So it could be 2028 until we get a health centre. It is absolutely ludicrous.
“The county council and integrated care board need to get this moving because it should not take three years. The bodies that are behind this need to get their fingers out for our residents.”
Cllr Ennis also questioned whether a £1.15million contribution to the project from Lichfield District Council from its Community Infrastructure Levy pot would continue to be available if the scheme continued to be subject to delays.
Cllr Rob Strachan, Conservative cabinet member for finance and commissioning, said he too was frustrated by the ongoing delays.
“We would love to know what those that are holding the purse strings of the health centre project intend to do, because we will not hold this Community Infrastructure Levy funding forever.
“We need this project to start moving otherwise we’ve got £1.15million tied up which could be used for the good of the district and spent elsewhere.
“I call on those who are responsible for making those decisions to get on with it.”
