A REPORT may herald a new era in health and care services being provided nearer to home.

The document, to be recommended to Stroud District Council's cabinet on Thursday, December 13, states that £90,000 should be set aside to develop a social enterprise model and business plan.

A social enterprise trust would see health services run by the community and local organisations.

The move comes in the wake of last year's review of the district's health services, which spelled the end to inpatient beds at Weavers Croft mental health unit and threatened the closure of Stroud Maternity Hospital.

Chas Fellows, leader of the council, said: "If a social enterprise trust for delivering health and care services in the Stroud district can be established it will mean those services are provided locally for local people."

The other groups involved in looking at creating a trust include Stroud Maternity Matters, the league of friends, doctors, the local strategic partnership and the Stroud and Swindon Building Society.

During 2006, Stroud District Council actively supported the campaign to keep local health facilities and commissioned a £12,000 report from the Kings Fund which first proposed the social enterprise option.

The group has now concluded that a full business plan should be developed, setting out how this could be done.

John Jeffreys, cabinet member for health and wellbeing, added: "A social enterprise trust would be more democratically accountable.

"Up to now, consultation has been pretty meaningless - Weavers Croft closed despite what people said.

"A social enterprise trust would have the interests of the Stroud District at heart."

If the cabinet accepts the report, a recommendation for additional funding will then be made to the full council.

If funding is approved, there will be no time limit for the process but more details would be announced in April or May once the business plan is complete.