Labour candidates say Burntwood has been let down amid fears of new health centre delays

ELECTION candidates in Burntwood say the town has been let down amid fears a new health centre could be delayed by another two years.

The former Burntwood Youth Centre site at Cherry Close was cleared to make way for the facility.

But no progress has been made on the development, despite the temporary health and wellbeing centre on neighbouring Burntwood Leisure Centre closing.

It had previously been hoped that the new facility would be up and running by the end of 2025, but Labour say a new date of December 2027 for the project – which will also include a care home – is being put forward.

Darren Ennis, leader of Burntwood Town Council and Labour’s candidate for the Burntwood South division at the upcoming Staffordshire County Council elections, said residents were being kept in the dark by the Conservatives.

“This new date was buried at the bottom of a long Lichfield District Council report on the additional £1.1million requested by the county council.

“No-one from the county council has had the decency to let local councillors or Burntwood residents know that there’s going to be a further two-year delay in getting the facilities we need.”

A meeting in March 2023 saw a representative of the Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent Integrated Care Board say he was confident that the facility at Cherry Close could open this year.

But Jane Smith, Labour’s candidate for Burntwood North, said Burntwood was being left behind by the current Tory administration:

“Yet again, the Conservatives at the county council pushes our town to the back of the queue.

“The new health centre is an absolute priority for me and Darren. If elected, we will press tirelessly to make this happen – and soon.”

The full list of Staffordshire County Council candidates in Burntwood North are: