A DECISION to ban the public from health meetings has been branded "madness".

Ruling councillors have decided to hold meetings between the Blackburn with Darwen Council and the borough's primary care trust behind closed doors.

Bosses claim hardly any members of the public turned up to the meetings, and say all decisions will still be published in full.

The partnership board was set up three years ago to discuss matters common to the health service and the council, including domestic and child abuse.

It is used to plan policy, with key decisions taken separately by the council and the PCT.

The leader of the opposition Labour group Kate Hollern criticised the move and said: "These are important things to discuss, and I just don't understand why they would want to hold them in private.

"We were one of the first councils to start holding meetings like these, and it's important people know what is being talked about."

Labour's shadow social services spokesman Dave Hollings added: "They have been held in public for three-and-a-half years and there's never been a problem. I fully accept that not all decisions can be taken in public, but where decisions affect members of the public, they should be taken in the full gaze of public scrutiny."

But the council's executive member for adult social care, Lib Dem David Foster, said the move would make the board work more efficiently.

He said: "The board comes up with recommendations, but we are still accountable for decisions.

"When we have to make a decision, it is made in public and can be scrutinised. We felt this would make things more efficient but still maintain public accountability."