By James HoreA NEWLY-FORMED protest group has criticised a healthcare trust for “ignoring” opposition to a proposed medical centre.Members of Great Clacton's Patients' Association Committee attended a board meeting of Tendring Primary Care Trust in an attempt to quiz bosses over their plans.

By James Hore

A NEWLY-FORMED protest group has criticised a healthcare trust for “ignoring” opposition to a proposed medical centre.

Members of Great Clacton's Patients' Association Committee attended a board meeting of Tendring Primary Care Trust in an attempt to quiz bosses over their plans.

The trust wants to open the medical centre in Kennedy Way, Clacton, for up to 22,000 patients, replacing four outdated practices in Great Clacton and Holland-on-Sea.

The proposals, which have already been rejected by Tendring District Council, have led to opposition from residents concerned about access to the Valley Road site.

A group of about 15 campaigners from Great Clacton's Patients' Association Committee and the Holland on Sea Residents Action Group went to Thursday's meeting primary care trust meeting and walked out after their questions were not answered.

Committee chairman, Pearl Smith, said: “I asked why doesn't the primary care trust take notice of what the residents want, which has been proved time and time again, that they don't want Kennedy Way.

“We were asking questions they did not want to hear and the primary care trust chairman said 'We might as well cancel this meeting because we are not getting anywhere', so we all got up and walked out.”

Mrs Smith added she could not see any benefits from the proposed Kennedy Way centre and called for the primary care trust to upgrade the existing practices.

A spokesman for Tendring Primary Care Trust said: “The meeting was in public, but it is not a public meeting and sometimes that subtle, but important difference escapes people.

“We always endeavour to answer any questions in an open and honest manner, but sometimes there are incidents where by the answers are not what people want to hear, they do sometimes confuse this with not being given answers.

“From day one we have said it is not the ideal site, but it is the best site available.”

The spokesman added the trust was working hard to ensure issues of transport and access to the site were resolved.

james.hore@eadt.co.uk