A COUNCILLOR has hit out at Durham County Council for taking nine months to notify him that the GP exercise referral scheme will be scrapped from April 1 this year.

The council-funded gym memberships enabled people to use facilities for a reduced price or in some cases for free, providing a GP had referred them.

The decision to end the schemes has been criticised by people who use and rely on them.

County councillor Mark Wilkes said he is ‘appalled’ that the decision was not mentioned to councillors earlier.

“It is absolutely appalling that this decision was not notified to us, as councillors, until nine months after it was made,” he said.

“The portfolio holder should apologise and make sure that future decisions are communicated to councillors and reported to Cabinet. This is no way to run a local authority.”

However Anna Lynch, Durham County Council’s director of public health, said councillors were informed about public health changes through a series of reports.

She said: “Councillors have been informed of public health changes through a series of reports throughout last year and also two seminars in early autumn to which all members were invited.”

Cllr Wilkes added: “We will now be scrutinising all public health spending by Durham County Council to check what services they plan to cut.

“We are also investigating whether public health money is being properly spent by Durham County Council. We have grave concerns that the council may be using health funding to subsidise other non-health services.”