Councillors are threatening to refer stroke review to the minister of health unless the NHS reconsiders its decision.

Members of Kent County Council's health overview and scrutiny committee unanimously agreed the choice of locations for three hyper acute stroke units (HASUs) "is not considered to be in the best interests of the health service in the area".

The motion was unanimously approved despite pleas from director of the Kent and Medway Stroke Review, Rachel Jones, and clinical lead for stroke medicine Dr David Hargroves.

Cllr Rosalind Binks (Con) proposed the motion due to claims closing the stroke unit at the Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother Hospital in Margate "will fail to provide healthcare equality".

It asserted Thanet's 145,000 residents are at risk due to travel times, aging population and high levels of deprivation.

Studies have found there is a correlation between poverty and the chance of having a stroke at an earlier age.

Dr David Hargroves addressed the concerns about travel times but explained the "clot-busting" drug only works for less than 20% of stroke patients.

He said: "Travel times have caused a significant degree of anxiety for many members of the public which we serve.

"I think it's really important that everyone understands that it isn't the speed with which you get to a unit that is the most important thing it is the quality of the unit."

"Thanet is absolutely gridlocked in the summer, it can take me and hour and a half to get to one side of Thanet to the other" - Cllr Ida Linfield

He added the plan to build in three hospitals and not all seven was not a cost-cutting measure but will attract specialists to work in Kent and Medway.

Dr Hargroves said: "I apologise if anyone is under the illusion this is about cutting costs because it is absolutely not.

"I want no part in a process that saves money, I want to have excellent care for all our population."

Rachel Jones added her team will do as much as they can to ensure transport is possible, including plans to subsidise buses or taxis for relatives of the stroke patients.

WATCH: Campaigners' fight against stroke unit closures

However, councillors remained unconvinced these plans are the best option for Kent and Medway.

Cllr Ida Linfield (Lib Dem) said: "Nothing I've heard has changed my opinion.

"This is an enormous amount of people who will be catered for, I do not believe three units has the capacity to deal with that number of people wherever you site them."

Cllr Lesley Game (Con) said: "You haven't convinced me, I've sat and listened to you at endless meetings and I'm still not convinced.

"Thanet is absolutely gridlocked in the summer, it can take me and hour and a half to get to one side of Thanet to the other."

Campaigners had earlier pitched up outside County Hall to protest against the possible closure of stroke units.