THE man behind plans to change health services across West Cumbria will face questions from borough councillors.

Sir Neil McKay, chairman of the Success Regime, has been invited to attend Allerdale council's next full council meeting.

Council leader Alan Smith said he had invited Sir Neil to the November 16 meeting to present his consultation and give answers.

Last month the authority passed a vote of no confidence in the Success Regime, which is developing plans to address failings in health services across north, east and West Cumbria.

Early suggestions include scrapping beds in some community hospitals including Maryport's and removing consultant-led maternity services from Whitehaven's West Cumberland Hospital.

A public consultation is set to be launched into the plans next week.

In a show of cross-party support, Allerdale councillors of all parties and none last month agreed to write to Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt and the Department for Health, calling on them to thoroughly investigate the impact of each of the regime's proposed options.

They expressed extreme concern at the emerging proposals and said they had no confidence that the regime would address the area's fundamental problems with health care provision.

Coun Smith said: "Sir Neil wasn't very pleased that this council voted no confidence in the Success Regime.

"He thinks we were a bit premature regarding that."

The council has not yet received a response from the Government to its letter.