Public vote on Cleobury Mortimer doctor's surgery plan

The people of Cleobury Mortimer could seal the fate of the town's planned £1 million doctor's surgery under radical plans for a public vote.

The poll is one of a number of ideas being considered by members of Cleobury Mortimer Parish Council to help resolve the saga over plans to relocate the town's existing medical practice at Pinkham.

Other possibilities include calling a public meeting to make a final decision, and councillors will decide their next step at a key meeting on Monday.

A £170,000 deal has been agreed in principle for councillors to sell land at the former Muller England site to healthcare developers Matrix Medical to build the new surgery, which has been granted £1 million in funding by Shropshire County Primary Care Trust.

But a counter-proposal has also been put forward by rival developer Bovis Homes, which is building almost 100 homes on adjacent land. The issue caused a divide between councillors at last month's annual meeting.

Members of Cleobury Patients' Voice and medical practice management have campaigned for several months for the issue to be resolved so the new surgery can be built.