A meeting arranged to address the closure of community beds at Portland will no longer be held in Weymouth.

A total of 16 beds at Portland Community Hospital are set to close on August 7 as part of a shake-up of NHS services in Dorset, which is facing judicial review.

Following this announcement, South Dorset MP Richard Drax organised a public meeting to take place at Weymouth Pavilion to hear residents’ concerns.

However, the meeting will now be held at All Saints Church on Portland after concerns were raised by Portland councillors.

A joint statement from councillors Ray Nowak, Paul Kimber, Sandie West, Penny McCartney and Kate Wheller said the closure of the beds is a ‘Portland issue’ therefore the discussion should ‘naturally be held there.’

Mr Drax told the Echo: “We will move from the pavilion to All Saints Church in Easton courtesy of Revd Tim Gomm.

“I have been told the church will be able seat around 500 people.”

Mr Drax explained why he chose Weymouth Pavilion as the original venue for the meeting.

He said: “I chose the Pavilion knowing that we would be able to accommodate a large number of people, and they would be able to hear what is being said and ask questions. There was nowhere on Portland to my knowledge which would be big enough. I am glad to say that we will now be holding the meeting at All Saints Church and I am extremely grateful.”

He added that those travelling to the meeting by car should park in the Tesco car park near the church, as the church has limited parking spaces.

The meeting will take place from 6.30pm to 8pm on Thursday July 5.