As previously reported, Luke Murphy MP called on Cllr Paul Harvey, Leader of Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council (BDBC) to prioritise local GPs when allocating developer contributions, saying there was no functional route through Basingstoke’s planning system for the Integrated Care Board (ICB) to successfully bid for developer funding for local primary care infrastructure for nearly seven years. During this, housing development continued at scale while GP capacity struggled to keep up.

Now, Cllr Harvey has responded to his claims, saying that the current administration is indeed investing in the NHS, and will approve vital infrastructure in an upcoming cabinet meeting.

He said: “The Independent and Lib Dem administration has taken an infrastructure-first approach. To put this into practice, we approved, in last year’s budget, a Community Infrastructure Levy spending policy that supports our strategic approach to investing in infrastructure. This uses the money collected across the borough for health and other facilities in a coordinated way. This is much better than the piecemeal approach of developers’ contributions being attached to each development, through what is known as section 106 money.

Leader of Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council, Cllr Paul Harvey (Image: Newsquest)

“The section 106 that Luke Murphy MP refers to relates to nine planning applications, seven of which are yet to be determined by the council. One application was determined on appeal and the health component was directed by the government planning inspector to be met from Community Infrastructure Levy, and one application was rejected. It sought development in the North Wessex Downs Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

“However, we began our investment in infrastructure in health services and support for new GP practices on new development before the policy was even adopted.

“One of the first things we did when we formed the Cabinet in 2023 was to offer to buy the Integrated Care Board (ICB) a building in the town centre for a new health hub. This would have been funded by the council for a seven-figure sum. The Integrated Care Board did not want to pursue that opportunity as it couldn’t take on and staff a new building and provide services there.”

The council leader said that “it is not simply a matter of building new surgeries,” but that “the ICB need to be able to staff them with doctors and nurses and kit them out.” He called on the government to resolve the financial challenges the ICB face “which we respect is a crisis they inherited.”

He added: “Cabinet papers for tomorrow’s meeting, published on Friday 30 January, recommend committing £1.39million to the expansion of the Chineham medical practice. This will be voted on at Council on Thursday, February 26. We hope members of all groups will support this investment at that meeting.”

It is not just in the main town that the council is investing into, but in Whitchurch, BDBC is securing land for future health facilities, through developers’ contributions, that will serve the west of the borough. “This will address the capacity issues at the current surgery as well as serving the residents in new homes,” he added.

“Our position has always been that Winklebury must have a doctor’s surgery as a part of any regeneration proposals. This is a priority for us as an administration, recognising that Winklebury needs its own doctor’s surgery.

“We are also seeking to work with NHS health partners to roll out services in the community through our community centres. We see the opportunity for local clinics and services to be delivered in easy to access locations where healthcare can be delivered locally in neighbourhoods.”