Telford & Wrekin Council chiefs have demanded urgent talks over plans to slash the number of hospital beds for mental health patients from the borough.

The authority’s ruling cabinet is seeking a meeting with health bosses after voting to oppose the proposals outlined in a major shake-up involving a new Shelton Hospital to replace the existing one in Shrewsbury.

NHS Telford & Wrekin Chief Executive Simon Conolly said the primary care trust had every intention of meeting council representatives.

The major shake-up of service provision, proposed by the Telford & Wrekin Joint Commissioning Team for mental health and South Staffordshire & Shropshire Healthcare Foundation Trust, would see the number of hospital beds funded by the Telford PCT for mental health patients cut from 55 to 36.

A total of 24 would be at a new Shelton Hospital while a further 12 beds would be at Castle Lodge, Dawley.

The aim would be to increase services in the community so as to reduce hospital admissions.

Telford & Wrekin Council is demanding an urgent meeting with health chiefs after the council’s cabinet voted to oppose plans to reduce the number of beds.

Telford & Wrekin Council’s corporate director Paul Donohue said: “These proposals are a cause for concern as we feel the proposed provision at the planned replacement hospital could be inadequate, especially as the changes in services rely heavily on extra funding to NHS mental health services in local communities.

“The council is now seeking to organise an urgent meeting with decision makers at NHS Telford & Wrekin to try to find an acceptable way forward.”

Mr Donohue said there had been problems at Shelton in the past over beds not being available for people from Telford & Wrekin.

A report to the council’s ruling cabinet on Tuesday said the cut in the number of beds would only work if there was major investment in community mental health services beforehand. The report also called for full and open public consultation.

Mr Conolly said: “We would be very pleased to meet with partners at the council.”