MP Tony Baldry is launching a petition calling on the Government to fulfil its promise to provide Bicester with a new community hospital.

The petition, being launched next week with the backing of all political parties, will say the people of Bicester and the surrounding villages feel betrayed by the Department of Health.

Residents and councillors were shocked to be told by Mr Baldry last week (beginning May19) that there were doubts over the funding of the new hospital building, set to cost between £10m and £13m, and its day-to-day running costs.

The petition will be run for six weeks and will be distributed door-to-door, and to doctors' surgeries and shops. It is hoped volunteers will collect signatures in Bicester town centre.

The Conservative MP raised the issue in the House of Commons last week and has since written to Health Secretary Alan Milburn reminding him of the clear assurances he gave in 1999 for a new hospital in Bicester to replace the existing 12-bed hospital.

The new hospital commitment followed a countywide review of community hospitals leading to the closure of Burford and Watlington hospitals.

Money saved from the closure of the two hospitals has not been kept to fund the new Bicester hospital. Mr Baldry blamed the Thames Valley Strategic Health Authority, claiming the running costs saved by the closure of the hospitals had been absorbed into the health service.

He also pointed out there was concern that the North East Primary Care Trust was having to compile a business plan for the hospital and that there would be no money provided for that.

A joint statement by the authority and the North East Oxfordshire PCT said: "We are not in a position to make a decision about a community hospital for Bicester before we see a properly worked-through business case."

It said the PCT's project director was working on the business case and various options for hospital facilities, and these would be considered in coming months.