HEALTH bosses have decided to permanently close a children’s health centre in Mistley.

The Mistley Clinic, in New Road, is one of three sites that will be axed after the North East Essex Clinical Commissioning Group decided the buildings should be sold to save £193,000 a year.

The other sites include the Shrub End and Monkwick clinics in Colchester.

The buildings are owned by NHS Property Services and rented by the CCG.

Services at the centres were previously run by Anglian Community Enterprise, but Virgin Care, which will take over Essex County Council’s family services, said it will not be using the sites.

The Mistley Clinic has been closed since last month after legionella bacteria was found in a toilet during a routine check.

However the site had not been regularly used for some time.

Martin Rayner, Mistley Parish Council chairman, said: “No-one really uses the clinic at all since Manningtree Children’s Centre was merged with the Windmill Children’s Centre in Ramsey years ago.

“In my view, if the clinic is sold it could pave the way for a better, more attractive and more useful development.”

Health bosses approved the proposal to dispose of the centres at a board meeting on Tuesday.

Sam Hepplewhite, chief officer of the CCG, said: “It was an opportunity to sell three sites that have got no services or very little services rather than use public money to pay for an empty space.”

It will now be up to NHS Property Services to go through a disposal process, which includes offering the rest of the public sector the opportunity to buy the estate.