Basingstoke MP Maria Miller has presented the petition for a new GP surgery in Winklebury to Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council. She handed the petition to Cllr Simon Bound, Deputy Leader of the Council and the Cabinet Member for Communities, Culture and Partnerships. Cllr Bound confirmed that the petition would be considered by the Council’s Cabinet, at their meeting on Tuesday 11 February, which is open to the public.

Maria launched the petition in November and it has been signed by hundreds of local residents. The current GP surgery in the Winklebury Centre is only open for 2 ½ hours per week, despite many of the local residents being elderly or disabled, or parents with young children. The petition calls for a new full-time health centre to replace the current part-time practice.

Maria said: “I have met the GPs who run the Surgery, local NHS representatives and Basingstoke Council to talk about the problems that Winklebury residents face in seeing a doctor. The petition has demonstrated the strength of feeling among local residents and I am pleased that Basingstoke Council’s Cabinet will be considering the petition at their meeting this week.”