The Motion, as printed in the Agenda was proposed by Councillor Holloway and seconded by Councillor Halden. The Motion read as follows:

That Council notes with extreme concern, the recent instruction from NHS England to NHS Thurrock Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) to set out a clear and agreed timeline by the end of September 2019 for a CCG merger to create a single CCG covering Mid and South Essex.

Council finds the complete lack of consultation by NHS England with us as a key statutory partner and with local residents, prior to issuing an instruction of this magnitude, unacceptable and disrespectful. 

Council strongly opposes any move by NHS England to create a single CCG for Mid and South Essex which we believe will damage the strong partnership working and local relationships we have with our NHS partners, shift focus away from local health and care transformation at Thurrock level, and will make our local NHS less accountable to our residents.

Council calls on NHS England to retain a fully constituted CCG at Thurrock level with a Thurrock CCG Accountable Officer and Executive.

Council also resolves to write to our two local MPs to ask them to support our calls and work with us to intervene to prevent this merger.

Councillor Holloway introduced the Motion by stating that NHS England had shown complete disregard to Thurrock Council, the Cabinet, Members, Directors and herself as chair of the Health and Wellbeing Overview and Scrutiny Committee. The instruction would have enormous implications on how Thurrock delivered the vision of health care. Councillor Holloway stated the importance of Thurrock CCG would be to ensure that health services were clinically safe and effective, the quality of primary care improved, transform the quality of general practitioner surgeries and mayor decisions on health and care would be taken locally. Those decisions designed to meet the needs of Thurrock residents. Councillor Holloway informed Members that a strong partnership had been built up with local general practitioners and Thurrock CCG Chief Officers over many years and had been crucial to improving health and care for local residents.

Councillor Halden stated he would vote in favour of the motion and had been against NHS England forcing the merger of CCG onto Thurrock. Councillor Halden stated that were the plans available for consultation they would be flawed and Officers should continue to consider the approach and legal challenge if necessary.

Councillor Spillman welcomed and supported the motion and stated CCG powers should be held at local level and for the needs of Thurrock residents.

Councillor Little thanked Councillor Holloway for raising the motion and stated her support. Councillor Little stated as Chair of the Health and Wellbeing Board she had attended meetings where discussions had taken place with the CCG and had been disappointed by the lack of consultation being undertaken by NHS England. Councillor Little informed Members that she had already written to Thurrock’s MPs with her concerns and had received a reply from Steven Metcalfe, Conservative MP. Councillor Little read out the reply to Members that displayed his full support and commitment to write to NHS England.

Councillor Coxshall stated his support for motion and the reorganisation of NHS at local level should be for the benefit of Thurrock residents.

Councillor Holloway stated that the focus of the NHS from Thurrock to a larger and remote geography of Mid and South Essex would make no sense to Thurrock residents and encouraged all Members to vote in support of the motion and send a strong message to NHS England. Councillor Holloway thanked Members for their comments and thanked Councillor Little for writing to the MPs and encouraged Members to write to the NHS and their MPs.

The Mayor called a vote on the Motion.

Members voted unanimously in favour of this Motion to which the Mayor announced the Motion carried.