THAT (a)         the outcome of the public consultation regarding the Council and Herefordshire Primary Care Trust proposal to establish a Public Service Trust arrangement in Herefordshire be noted;

(b)       the Public Service Trust Steering Group’s recommendation to support taking this forward within Option 3 be endorsed;

(c)               the draft roadmap and timetable be approved;

(d)              regular reviews of the process be sustained throughout the period with information shared with all 58 Council Members; and

(e)              the exit strategy to be examined at key stages throughout the process.

THAT in order to maintain the time table which will be proposed to the Herefordshire Public Service Trust Project Steering Group (Steering Group) on 16th April, 2007 authority be delegated to the Chief Executive and/or the Leader of the Council to enable them to give effect, if necessary, to any resolution of the Steering Group in relation to the timing of public consultation and the timing of the placing of an advertisement for the post of Chief Executive of the Public Service Trust.

THAT the attached Project Initiation Document and Terms of Reference which were approved by the Primary Care Trust Board on Thursday, 25th January, 2006 be approved as a basis for advancing the work on the Public Service Trust.

THAT    (a)   the proposals for a Public Service Trust for Herefordshire be endorsed as a basis for further discussion with the Primary Care Trust, if a Herefordshire Primary Care Trust continues as currently proposed in the consultation document.

(b)    a joint project steering group be established to develop detailed proposals for further consideration by Cabinet in the event that the proposal for a Herefordshire Primary Care Trust is supported by the Secretary of State for Health.