The scrapping of the Community Health Council watchdog organisations around the country, at the behest of the Government, is a move to be viewed with caution.

When Bradford Council's overview and scrutiny committee takes over the job of closely monitoring the performance of local health organisations to make sure they are serving the public properly, it will be tackling a major and very important task which the CHC has been doing very well.

There are bound to be worries that the councillors who come new to this role will not have the depth of experience of their predecessors. After all, the Audit Commission recently identified the Council's scrutiny committees as an area for improvement.

It is encouraging, in this context, to learn that the CHC has been working with members of the new committee to try to ensure a smooth handover. Let's hope that the CHC members are prepared to continue to make themselves available for a while in an advisory capacity after the council formally ceases to exist later this year.

There are bound to be mixed feelings about the change from an independent CHC to a local-authority committee which is packed with politicians. On the one hand, the people charged with the task of keeping health organisations in order will now be accountable to the public they serve. If they make a hash of things they can be removed from office at the next local election.

On the other, though, there is a danger that the process could become vulnerable to party-political influence. A careful eye will have to be kept on the scrutiny committee to make sure this does not happen.