TWO meetings of Cheshire West and Chester Council’s health and wellbeing board will be broadcast online following pressure from opposition councillors.

At a meeting on Wednesday, members agreed to a two-month trial period in July and September to see how many viewers tune in and keep an eye on the decisions being made in health and social care.

Cllr Samantha Dixon, CWAC leader and chairman of the health and wellbeing board, had favoured a 12-month trial for the service – but hopes the short-term measure will be well received.

“I think we should start immediately with webcasting and then after some time come to other forms of communication,” she said.

“Hopefully it will be well viewed, and people can appreciate the fact they can view these webcasts after the event as well as at the time.”

Members of the board, including councillors and representatives from local NHS and social care organisations, chose a two-month trial instead of a longer run.

They also voted for those meetings being broadcast online to remain in Chester to keep costs down – with the board currently meeting at various locations in the borough, and June’s meeting set to take place at Lion Salt Works, in Northwich.

Webcasting the meetings would cost £2,000 a year, while CWAC will pick up the bill for the two-month trial.

Cllr Lynn Riley, leader of CWAC’s Conservative opposition, had led calls for the meetings to be broadcast online while her party had a budget amendment to fund webcasting for the meetings turned down in March.

Following Wednesday’s meeting, she said: “This is very welcome news and I hope it doesn’t stop at the webcasting because we really need to start getting people involved in the positive progress that is being made in health and social care.

“Particularly people who are older or have concerns – they need to hear positive messages about what is being done locally, and not just the bad headlines.”

Meanwhile, Cllr Dixon announced she is stepping down as chairman of CWAC’s health and wellbeing board at Wednesday’s meeting.

Cllr Louise Gittins, cabinet member for communities and wellbeing, will take her place, while Cllr Dixon will remain a member of the committee.