A BID is being launched tonight to stall plans which could lead to more than £530m being slashed from NHS budgets.

Fears are growing about the impact of a sustainability and transformation plan (STP), which is outlining savings and plans for health and social care for the next five years.

Brighton and Hove, along with the rest of Sussex and East Surrey, is one of 44 areas around the country, known as footprints, which have submitted an STP to NHS Improvement for approval.

However there are concerns the proposals put forward so far are only the tip of the iceberg and could result in major cuts and potential job losses.

The Government and NHS Improvement are demanding the NHS in the region clears its NHS deficits in five years and this currently stands at £865m well short of the £530m currently proposed.

Potential savings of £112,000 have also been earmarked for social care, which opponents say will have a major impact on already under-pressure services.

Brighton and Hove Greens have put forward a notice of motion for tonight’s full council meeting, urging councillors not to co-operate with the plans.

There has been anger locally and nationally about the secrecy behind STPs, which campaigners say have been done with little or no consultation and which do not contain enough detail.

The motion, proposed by Cllr Dick Page says: “This council requests the chief executive and chairman of the health and wellbeing board to inform local NHS leaders of our unwillingness to co-operate further until there is adequate funding, consultation and democratic involvement for the proposed changes.”

It also calls for a cross-party meeting to be arranged with all other councils in the STP area to propose they do the same.”

The STP was developed by health and social care organisations and the aim is to have them working closely together to “provide the care people want within the resources available”.

Those working on the plans, which include NHS and social care organisations, say working better together will bring many benefits and help them develop services to help them tackle some of the problems they face.

The proposals do not currently contain any threats to A&E and other major hospital services.

Sussex Defend the NHS and the Trades Council are planning a major march in January and a public event on STP with local MPs and national and local speakers on February 7 in St George’s Church, Kemp Town, Brighton.

People across the county are being urged to contact their MP and councillors and highlight their concerns about the proposals and call for more information to be made available.