BERKELEY Hospital and other health facilities in the district earmarked for closure could be thrown a lifeline this evening.

Cabinet members at Stroud District Council will tonight consider the findings of a report, which could see the future of health provision placed into the hands of local people.

Councillors are set to discuss the "King's Fund Report" that recommends the creation of a social enterprise to run the district's doomed hospitals.

The report states: "This report concludes that the option of providing local health services in the Stroud locality within a social enterprise organisation requires serious consideration.

"It would be sensible to consider the Berkeley Vale locality as a piece because of the size of the total population, the close working of GP's across the local commissioning consortia and the proposed developments around Dursley."

The King's Fund is a charitable organisation that aims to improve health care throughout the country.

In July the fund was commissioned by the district council to consider the possibility of setting up a social enterprise, which could run health provision in the Stroud area.

This would include Berkeley Hospital, the Tyndale centre, Weaver's Croft, Stroud Maternity Hospital and Stroud General.

John Stanton, Stroud District Councillor for Berkeley, said despite Berkeley Hospitals possible inclusion campaigners should not get ahead of themselves.

He said: "I will be encouraging them to consider Berkeley Vale as part of the study and the study will look at whether there is a business case to set up a social economic trust.

"We cannot make assumptions about the findings. It is my personal view that we need to look more carefully at building consultation facilities at Berkeley which would be cheaper than a new build in Dursley but if that proves not be the case then we shall have to consider other options."