VILLAGERS in Addingham fear they could lose local health services because of delays over the proposed new medical centre, a meeting was told.

They are afraid that the village GP could retire and not be replaced before progress is made on the new building. If Addingham patients are forced to go elsewhere that situation could become permanent, a parish councillor has warned.

Parish councillors are to ask for discussions with officials from the Airedale Primary Care Trust (PCT), which is in charge of the project, to voice the concerns of themselves and village residents.

The new medical centre, planned for a site behind the car park of the Memorial Hall on Main Street, will be provided by a complicated public/private funding arrangement called the Local Improvement Finance Trust (LIFT).

Such is the intricate nature of the way the money is raised under this new scheme, complications over contracts and other issues have led to delays. Part of the cost will go towards buying the site from Addingham Parish Council.

Such is the importance of the new medical centre for the people of the village, the parish council would be willing to provide the land but Government rules ensure that it has to be sold at market value.

In his latest progress report to the parish council, chairman Gordon Campbell had little to offer the expectant councillors. He said: "I have had further discussions with the PCT but there is little to report. There have been no meetings with anybody other than telephone calls from me trying to hurry the thing along. The LIFT has a shortage of cash.

"I have invited them to a meeting and we will have full and frank discussions and everyone will be brought up to date."

Councillor Sheila Hamilton called for villagers and councillors to become more involved with the PCT about the project which she described as the 'biggest thing since the bypass'.

"I want all the village to be aware and to be involved," said Coun Hamilton. And she also called for people to be consulted on the kind of services needed at the new multi-discipline medical centre which is expected to have two GPs, nurses and other staff.

Councillor Alan Jerome said that many people in the village were frustrated and fearful about the future of medical services in the village because of the delays.

Addingham GP Dr Eugene Raubitschek intends to retire within the near future but he has intimated that he is willing to wait until the medical centre was built before bowing out.

However, if the project is subject to a protracted delay, villagers fear he may retire before it is established. The Government is intent on phasing out single GP practices which means that if Dr Raubitschek retires he would not be replaced immediately, meaning that villagers would have to go elsewhere, probably Ilkley, for medical services.

If that situation became an established precedent, many people were fearful that the PCT might abandon the Addingham medical centre project altogether to save money.

"That is my fear and many other people's fear in the village - we have got to do everything we can to ensure that the money is available within the timescale that Dr Raubitschek will accept for remaining in the village," said Coun Jerome.

But Coun Campbell said he had been assured by the doctor that he would be prepared to carry on in the village.

Coun Campbell said: "I don't want to raise alarms in the village that we will be without medical facilities. We will fight tooth and nail to keep medical facilities in the village."

Coun Hamilton said: "Dr Raubitschek should be allowed to retire when he wants to retire."

Parish councillors are trying to arrange a meeting with members of the PCT to discover what progress has been made so far and how long it will take to realise the project. Councillor Sheila McLachlan said: "People of Addingham feel they are all in the dark. At the moment we are all in the dark."