Practical plans to tackle childhood obesity are to be developed by 13 councils after they received funding from the government’s Trailblazer programme.
The councils will receive £10,000 in funding and targeted support to create plans that can be shared across the country.
Five will then be chosen next year to receive £300,000 to take their plans forward over three years.
The programme, in partnership with the Local Government Association (LGA), will test the limits of existing powers, share best practice, develop solutions to local obstacles and consider how the Government can achieve large-scale changes.
Steve Brine, public health minister, said: ‘Our Trailblazer programme will support the 13 councils to bring their ideas to life with the help of dedicated support and guidance. They have the potential to not only improve the health of children in their own communities but across the country by helping us to shape future policy on childhood obesity.
‘Brilliant, innovative projects are already taking place across the country, but now is the time for us to tackle this issue together.’
The 13 local authorities are: Bath and North East Somerset Council, Birmingham City Council, Blackburn with Darwen Council, City of Bradford Metropolitan District Council, London Borough of Havering, London Borough of Lewisham, Middlesbrough Council, North Tyneside Council, North Yorkshire County Council, Nottinghamshire County Council, Peterborough City Council, Rochdale Borough Council, and Walsall Council.
