The change to the bank signatories was agreed. In relation to item 6 Cllr Green asked for greater scrutiny and transparency regarding the Council’s traded services. He asked for the annual profit/loss accounts for traded services to be published on the website. This was agreed.
Fiona Johnston introduced item 7 on NHS reform and public health. She detailed a number of changes that would occur ranging from the transfer of some public health functions to Wirral Council, the setting up of a Health and Wellbeing Board in shadow form and GP commissioning. She also referred to Appendix B, which contained a response to the Health White Paper.
Cllr Green referred to a letter that accepted Wirral Council as an early implementer. He thanked Fiona regarding the work she had done. He said it was a major piece of work and they had to make sure they got it right. He referred to the Joint Strategic Needs Assessment and a conference the previous day with the voluntary, community and faith sector. He thanked Kathy Doran, the Cheshire Wirral Partnership, Arrowe Park Hospital and the GP consortium. He said it was early stages and there was a degree of suspicion. He said it was tribute to the work of the joint appointment.
Cllr Holbrook said there was change and uncertainty, however the shadow Health and Wellbeing Board would bring accountability which had been absent until now. He thought local government was the natural place for public health to reside. He said the Department of Health was not as slick as the Department of Communities and Local Government when it came to consultation. He felt it hadn’t been promoted very well. He referred to the Healthy Lives, Healthy People consultation. He said the interim Chief Executive would consult with Cllr Green and himself regarding the responses. The report was agreed.