South Tees Hospitals NHS Trust said it was closing the ward at Guisborough's General Hospital because it could not recruit enough staff.

The trust has been unable to fill vacancies for 14 full-time midwives and is due to close on 15 November.

The leader of Redcar and Cleveland Council said the select committee, which will be set up on Tuesday, would try to address some of the uncertainty surrounding the closure.

During the closure period we'll be working hard to recruit midwives

Stewart Hutchison, consultant obstetrician

A spokeswoman for the trust told BBC News Online the closure was a temporary measure to ensure safety and would be reviewed monthly.

Redcar and Cleveland Council said it plans to meet officals from the trust to discuss the future of the department.

David Walsh told BBC Radio Cleveland: "I think the select committee's job is to tease out just how temporary is temporary.

"Will there be firm plans for for reopening it, will there be firm plans for manning it and will there be firm plans for the recruitment of midwives?

"That is something the select committee can ferret out."

National shortage

Consultant obstetrician Stewart Hutchison said: "We're reluctantly taking the decision to close the ward at Guisborough General Hospital so we can ensure mothers-to-be have a safe, high quality service at the James Cook University Hospital and in the community.

"We have been working for the last 18 months to try and address staff shortages in midwifery.

"During the closure period we'll be working hard to recruit midwives though there is a national shortage so the solution is not going to be short term."

Between January 2001 to December 2001, 125 babies were born at the maternity ward at Guisborough General Hospital and 3,320 at The James Cook University Hospital.