A controversial decision to delay building a multi-million pound hospital will be discussed next week.

Councillors will debate the Arun Community Hospital saga at a full meeting on Wednesday.

Members want reassurances the project will not be dropped altogether.

The £8 million development in Littlehampton was put on hold by Surrey and Sussex Strategic Health Authority (SHA) in March just as building work was about to start.

The SHA was concerned the cost of establishing and running the hospital would not be met because of the serious NHS money crisis in the county.

The move infuriated locals, with Arun District Council and Littlehampton Town Council joining forces to call for work to begin as soon as possible.

Arun council leader Norman Dingemans has put forward a notice of motion for discussion at the district council meeting. The motion says: "This council urges the SHA to reconsider the decision to delay construction of the new hospital as the planning is so advanced and the Arun, Adur and Worthing Primary Care Trust (PCT) is not in a financial crisis.

"But if the decision to delay is not reversed, we want the SHA to confirm that the building contracts will be signed within three months and that there is no intention of abandoning the project."

Coun Dingemans and other officials have pressed local MPs to raise the issue with Health Secretary Patricia Hewitt.

They say it is not fair their community is paying the price because other NHS organisations are not able to balance the books. The local PCT, which will be responsible for managing the new hospital, broke even in the last financial year.

The SHA says the hospital is still an important part of its future plans and it is reviewing all hospital services and PCTs in the county to see exactly what is provided and where.

Residents who want to voice their concerns about the crisis at the start of the meeting can do so by notifying the council in advance.

The council meets at Arun Civic Centre in Maltravers Road, Littlehampton, at 6pm.

For more details or to register to speak at the meeting, call Liz Futcher on 01903 737610