The launch of a controversial public consultation on the future of hospital services has moved a step forward.

Members of East Sussex Downs and Weald Primary Care Trust (PCT) and Hastings and Rother PCT today gave the go-ahead for proposals to be formally drawn up.

The consultation will focus on maternity services at Eastbourne District General Hospital and the Conquest Hospital in St Leonards.

The four options include having a consultant-led maternity unit at either Eastbourne or St Leonards with no maternity unit at the other site or a consultant-led maternity unit at one of the hospitals with a midwife-led unit at the other.

A special care baby unit and inpatient gynaecology service will be based at the hospital with the full maternity service.

Ante-natal and postnatal services will continue to be provided at both hospitals.

There are no plans to change accident and emergency or paediatric services at either hospital at this stage.

The hour and a half meeting was held at Uckfield Civic Centre.

During the meeting PCT members said of the four options being put forward they wanted to make it clear they prefer having a consultant led unit at one site and a midwife led unit at the other.

There were calls from some members for a fifth option, to maintain the status quo, to be considered.

They were told this was not feasible.

However members were told there would still be opportunities for people to put forward suggestions of their own.

Joint committee member Jeremy Birch said: "We need to make it clear to the public we will welcome any opinions and proposals they may have themselves and invite them to put them forward where they will be considered with as much care and attention as the four we already have."

Committee chairman John Barnes said: "This is the start of a process, not the closure."

Campaigners are planning to formally hand over their proposals to health bosses at a Mother's Day rally and march on Eastbourne seafront on Sunday from 2pm.