Okehampton Town Council must take greater action to save Okehampton Hospital, a town councillor has warned.

Cllr Mark Richards told fellow councillors on Monday (June 24) that the council may have to exert its influence as a local authority to get long-shut wards reopened because individual campaigners were getting “the run around”.

Cllr Richard said: "We are in a position where individuals are simply not being taken seriously. And there is going to come a point in time, in the not-too-distant future, when this council will need to take the decision whether it wants to get involved in this issue.”

He acknowledged that the council’s direct influence was limited, as the hospital is in the hands of the NHS. But with an election looming, the council is anxious to see the hospital pushed up the Devon healthcare agenda once a new Government is in place.

The issue of the two wards at Okehampton Hospital has been a long-standing source of frustration for the community, since they were ‘mothballed’ more than six years ago.

While clinics continue to be run at the hospital, the ward space - one a maternity ward, the other for those convalescing – remain closed.

The community, which helped fundraise to build the hospital, campaigned against the closures.

The issue was discussed at the Okehampton Town Council meeting on Monday night.

Cllr Christine Marsh supported Cllr Richards and suggested that the council review its position on Okehampton Hospital until after the general election when the new Government's plan for the NHS will be known.

She added that "prominent people" should "act quite forcefully" to ensure Okehampton Hospital services are improved.

Okehampton Town Council has resolved to support the move.

The discussion comes after NHS Devon confirmed that the empty ward space and maternity suite are being returned to NHS Property Services, which owns many NHS buildings.

Refurbishment work, including flooring and roofing, continues, with some teams in the hospital being moved temporarily while work is completed.

NHS Devon has confirmed that the community nurses and administrative teams have been relocated into the old kitchen space.

It is understood that the Okehampton midwifery team had been temporarily relocated while redecoration work took place in the maternity suite this month.

NHS Devon has mooted the idea of offering space in the hospital to community groups. Though councillors have welcomed this commitment, many argue that reopening the hospital ward would be more beneficial to the community.