​PUBLIC health staff in North East Lincolnshire are opposing plans to transfer their employment from the Care Trust Plus to the council.

According to the union Unison, 65 of the 80 members of staff have signed a petition demanding the transfer, which is due to take place in April, be scrapped.

The petition will be presented to the Yorkshire and Humber Strategic Health Authority next week, calling for it to intervene.

Unison regional officer Jim Bell told the Grimsby Telegraph that the move would lead to an “inefficient use of NHS resources” and an “exodus” of talented public health professionals from the area and that there had not been sufficient consultation.

A statement from the CTP said that the transfer had originally been planned for October 2007, but was delayed following a formal consultation with staff.

A second consultation is now taking place, with the results due to go to the CTP on March 11.