HEALTH managers are being urged to reconsider their decision to move Hambleton and Richmondshire Primary Health Care Trust to Thirsk.

The trust is to move its headquarters from a temporary site at Catterick Garrison to purpose-built offices in the town.

Tony Pelton, who represents Catterick on the Richmondshire District Council, strongly objects to the relocation saying it will lead to the fragmentation of the health service in the area.

The trust took on the old role of the Primary Care Group in April. Although the desired location for their headquarters had been Richmondshire, officials believed no suitable accommodation existed which was capable of occupation in the short time available.

The new headquarters of the trust are therefore proposed to be located in an existing office complex, in Station Road, Thirsk, near to Tesco.

Coun Pelton wants Richmondshire District Council to consider the relocation of the Trust to Aske Hall near Richmond or the Colburn Business Park. Both these sites were among those known to the Trust when it first carried out its audit of possible sites.

Coun Pelton said: "The remit that was given to the Trust from the old Primary Care Group stated that the office complex should be at the centre of the largest population it intended to serve. I think that is both fair and sensible.

"There is already too much fragmentation in the health service and if the PCT disappears into a corner of the county then they are just adding to it."

The cost of the lease on the Station Road site is £52,000 a year - about half that of the other proposed sites. The Trust board has a further £100,000 designated for internal works to the building.

Coun Pelton added: "Thirsk is just about falling off the map and they are planning to locate into an old building which is bound to be more expensive in the long-term.

"I think that the ideal location would be at the Colburn Business Park and developers there have already ensured they could provide the floor space to work in within eight weeks."

The issue is being considered at the council's Resources Committee meeting this evening.