![\"A](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/0_Latham-House-GP-surgery.png\")
Latham House, Melton’s only GP surgery.(Image: Google)<\/p>\nAn argument has broken out over money from developers being used for roads and education over healthcareLatham House, Melton’s only GP surgery.(Image: Google)<\/p>\n
Plans for a second GP surgery for a Leicestershire town have been put on hold with a council leader calling the news \u201chugely disappointing\u201d. The NHS<\/a> has confirmed it will \u201cpause\u201d the process of trying to find a new site for Melton\u2019s mooted second surgery until February 2027.<\/p>\n The only GP surgery in the town currently is Latham House in Sage Cross Street, but NHS bosses had been working with Melton Borough Council<\/a> (MBC) to identify a possible location for a new surgery. Proposals had included redeveloping part of the council\u2019s own Parkside headquarters or at MBC\u2019s Phoenix House community hub.<\/p>\n The NHS Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland Integrated Care Board (ICB), which manages healthcare<\/a> in the county, blamed the delay on several factors, including a lack of money from new housing<\/a> developments. Under what are known as S106 agreements, developers of major housing schemes provide money for local facilities and services that will be impacted by the increase in residents.<\/p>\n MBC leader Pip Allnatt said he was \u201chugely disappointed\u201d at the news, and that he was \u201cparticularly frustrated\u201d that a shortfall in S106 payments had been given as a reason. He claimed decisions over S106 payments had been made by the borough council\u2019s previous Conservative administration prior to the 2023 local elections, in which the current Labour and Independent coalition took control of the authority.<\/p>\n Coun Allnatt said: \u201cBefore I was even elected to Melton Borough Council, arrangements agreed between my predecessors and [Leicestershire County Council] meant that there is almost no S106 money for health because nearly all of it goes to the county council for new roads and schools.\u201d<\/p>\n But he said he recognised the \u201cfinancial challenge\u201d and said the council would keep working to find another site. He said: \u201cThe Government\u2019s new 10-year plan for the NHS makes a clear commitment to community health, and we will continue to push the ICB to deliver what is needed for Melton, and we will keep doing all we can to support them.\u201d<\/p>\n The ICB also said there had only been a 3.19 per cent increase in patient registrations at the practice since 2020, which Coun Allnatt suggested could be \u201cdue to dissatisfaction with existing local health services more generally\u201d.<\/p>\n