The commissioners running the Southern District Health Board (DHB) have held their first meetings in public since being installed.
The Health Minister sacked the board last June after losing confidence in its financial management and replaced it with a commissioner and three deputies.
They have been criticised by opposition parties for not meeting their legal obligation to hold advisory committee meetings for the past 12 months.
This afternoon they convened meetings of three committees; the Hospital Advisory Committee, Disability Support Advisory Committee, and Community and Public Health Advisory Committee.
Matters discussed included the DHB's significant deficit, which was budgeted to be $36 million for the financial year to June.
The commissioners were told the deficit position had improved to be running at $4.8 million less than forecast.
