Reaction from councillors ...

TORY group leader Clr David Hall said: “This is a longterm plan for a long-term solution and so we are under no illusions that this will take up to 10 years to implement.

“Consequently, given the age of the current estate, intermediate investment will be needed in current sites but must be done in a way that supports the longerterm plan.

“However, we feel that investment should be planned on the best possible long term solution.”

Liberal Democrat group leader Clr John Lawson said there was a range of reasons why the current proposals to Government are not appropriate.

He added: “If the Clinical Commissioning Group’s proposals go ahead we will be left with a plan based around a single organisation (Calderdale and Huddersfield NHS Trust) and not a health and care system.

“It would not fit with regional health policy to plan across a place, and does not encourage opportunities for integration between different organisations.

“However, we all appreciate the limited options they have given the crippling PFI position at Calderdale.”

Clr Charles Greaves, Independents Group leader, said: “This proposal is focused on developing an integrated health service across the district.

“It will need all parts of the health and care system to take a step forward and to work in partnership to deliver it, and we will give it our full support.”

Green Party leader Clr Andrew Cooper said: “This is a pragmatic move by the council to try to get some local control over the future of health services in our area.

“If we leave it to the CCGs and central government we could lose our A&E and other vital services.

“The consistent efforts of local campaigners to protect our services is amazing.

“To support them best we need to take the initiative and find a way to protect those services so many local people rely on.”