VE Day: Council duties under the Armed Forces Covenant
As we mark the 80th anniversary of VE Day, Geoff Wild, Legal & Governance Consultant, looks at the duties of councils under the Armed Forces Covenant.
Councils could be forbidden from using destructive pesticides in parks
25/04/2025 MPs will today debate a proposal that could see the use of 'toxic' weedkillers by councils banned. |
Data reveals council areas with most fast food outlets
12/02/2025 The London borough of Camden has more fast food outlets per resident than any other local authority area in England, according to new analysis. |
Government increases Public Health Grant by 5.4%
07/02/2025 A £200m boost to public health services has been announced by the Government. |
Chancellor urged to boost public health grant by £1.4bn
08/10/2024 Directors of public health have written to the Government urging it to boost the public health grant by £1.4bn. |
LGA: Councils need sustainable funding to deliver funerals
23/09/2024 Sustainable funding and long-term certainty are needed so local authorities can meet rising demand for public health funerals (PHFs), council bosses say. |
Darzi review: ‘Extraordinary power in getting public health right’
12/09/2024 The Government must invest in public health to ease pressure on a health service ‘in critical condition’, according to a damning new review of the NHS. |
Public health bosses call for long-term sexual health strategy
10/09/2024 The Association of Directors of Public Health (ADPH) has urged the Government to commit to a sexual and reproductive health strategy after a decade of cuts. |
Walsall residents urged to avoid canal after chemical spillage
15/08/2024 Walsall Council has urged members of the public to avoid a 12-mile section of the Walsall canal after tests confirmed sodium cyanide had been dumped. |
Call to exclude alcohol industry from health policymaking
05/08/2024 Campaigners have urged the new Government to protect public health policy from ‘interference’ from the alcohol industry. |
Starmer urged to prioritise smoking ban
08/07/2024 Doctors and public health campaigners have called on the new Labour government to ensure that plans to phase out smoking sit at the ‘front and centre’ of its agenda. |
Council to restrict new takeaway sites
20/06/2024 New measures to limit the development of new hot food takeaway sites have been introduced by Newcastle City Council. |
Call for urgent action on childhood obesity
18/06/2024 ‘Urgent and decisive’ action is needed to combat rising levels of childhood obesity, a public health director has argued. |
Council chiefs call for 10-year sexual health strategy
04/06/2024 Council leaders have called on the next Government to launch a 10-year sexual health strategy after new figures reveal rise in sexually transmitted infections. |
Liverpool to spend £2m to reduce smoking
30/05/2024 Liverpool City Council is set to spend almost £2m on a new tobacco control strategy. |
Public health grant cut by over 20%
30/05/2024 Services such as sexual health and drug and alcohol programmes have seen their budgets reduced by more than other health care services, a think tank has revealed. |
Torbay Council issues contaminated tap water advice
16/05/2024 Torbay Council has warned residents in Brixham to boil water before drinking it after dozens of people fell ill due to Cryptosporidium parasites. |
Making England smoke-free could redirect £11bn to local economies
09/04/2024 A new study has found that if everyone in England stopped smoking, £10.9bn could be redirected to local economies each year. |
Sunderland considers minimum alcohol price
03/04/2024 Sunderland City Council is set to launch a consultation on introducing a local minimum unit price for alcohol. |
Offering alcohol-free beer on draught can improve public health
21/03/2024 Making alcohol-free beer more widely available on draught in pubs may help people switch to non-alcoholic drinks without hurting profits, a new study suggests. |
Dover issues s114 warning over funding withdrawal
05/02/2024 A council could be at risk of issuing a section 114 notice if it is left to shoulder the costs of port biosecurity checks. |
UK’s first regular drug checking service launched in Bristol
29/01/2024 The first regular drug checking service in the UK has been launched this month in central Bristol. |
Half of young vapers never regularly smoked, study finds
24/01/2024 A new study has found that 316,000 young people who use disposable vapes never regularly smoked tobacco, but warns that banning the vape products would risk causing relapse among ex-smokers. |
Sexual health services ‘at breaking point’
22/01/2024 Rising cases of sexually transmitted infections and decreasing levels of funding are pushing sexual health services to ‘breaking point’, according to the Local Government Association. |
A million lives ‘cut short’ by inequality
08/01/2024 A million people in England had their lives cut short because of health inequality between 2011 and 2019, research has found. |
Call for greater drug use surveillance
18/12/2023 Council chiefs have called for greater regulation and surveillance of the use of illegal drugs in response to what they have called ‘worrying new trends’. |
Councils call for support after ‘stark’ climate change warnings
11/12/2023 Local authority leaders have said they need support to prepare communities for climate change after a stark report described the impacts of changing temperatures on people’s health. |
Damning reality of asylum
05/12/2023 A shocking public health report by Hounslow LBC exposes bleak conditions as councils urge Home Office and contractors to improve. |
Councils respond to King’s Speech
08/11/2023 The Local Government Association (LGA) has responded to proposed legislation announced yesterday in the King’s Speech. |
Meals on wheels ‘heading for UK-wide collapse’
30/10/2023 The National Association of Care Catering (NACC) has called for meals on wheels to become a statutory responsibility for councils after it found provision of the services continued to fall. |
Public support more focus on poor health causes
02/10/2023 The Government should invest more in public health to address the roots of poor health, according to a poll for the charity Royal Society for Public Health (RSPH). |
Councils press for more stringent air quality targets
06/09/2023 Local authorities have dismissed claims air pollution targets cannot be met by 2030. |
Pandemic planning 'insufficient,' says public health chief
06/07/2023 The Government’s lack of planning and top-down approach hindered directors of public health during the pandemic, the UK Covid-19 Inquiry has heard. |
Council chiefs call for pay ‘clarity’
14/06/2023 Local authority leaders have called for ‘clarity’ on pay increases for staff working in non-NHS provided services will be fully funded. |
Poor pandemic planning criticised
13/06/2023 Public health directors have criticised the Government’s Covid-19 preparedness – warning Whitehall must utilise council expertise to avoid repeat. |
Sexual health services at ‘breaking point’
06/06/2023 Local council-commissioned sexual health services are at ‘breaking point’, warn local authority leaders. |
MPs call for more funding for alcohol treatment
25/05/2023 Local authorities must be given the certainty and stability over funding they need to maintain and improve alcohol treatment programmes, MPs say. |
Adult obesity in rural areas up by over 1m
15/05/2023 Rural areas are facing a surge in numbers of obese and overweight people but are hamstrung in their efforts to deal with it, according to council leaders. |
Diabetics face ‘stark health inequalities’, charity warns
10/05/2023 Huge numbers of people with diabetes are not being given the routine checks they need, according to a new report on health inequalities. |
Unfunded NHS pay rises could lead to cuts, council chiefs warn
23/03/2023 Local authorities might be forced to cut vital public health services if the proposed new NHS pay rises are not properly funded, council leaders warn. |
Local health chiefs warn of ‘second health emergency’
21/03/2023 The increase in costs of essential food items and energy has created a ‘second health emergency’ after the COVID pandemic, local health chiefs have warned. |
Public health grant of £3.5bn ‘insufficient’
14/03/2023 The public health grant will be £3.5bn in total, according to the Government, but council leaders have criticised it as ‘insufficient’. |
Minister mounts Oflog defence
10/03/2023 Local government minister Lee Rowley told councillors to ‘judge us by what we do, not what you worry about’ as he defended the planned Oflog. |
Councils ‘in the dark’ about public health funding
01/03/2023 Councils are being kept in the dark over budgets for public health in the coming year, local government leaders have warned. |
Councils ‘in the dark’ about public health funding
06/02/2023 Vital frontline services, such as drug and alcohol treatment, are at risk of being cut unless Government announces public health funding for next year. |
Charge manufacturers for fly-tipping clean up, council chiefs say
01/02/2023 Manufacturers should contribute to the cost of cleaning up fly-tipped rubbish to help tackle the health risk posed by the illegal practice, council chiefs say. |
Council chiefs call for ‘clarity’ on addiction services funding
19/01/2023 Council leaders have called for ‘urgent clarity’ on how addiction services will be funded after the figures reveal a rise in number of people seeking help. |
Funding cuts reduce health visitor force by 40%
18/01/2023 The number of health visitors has plummeted by nearly 40% since 2015 due to public health grant cuts, local authority leaders warn. |
Top awards for sector in King Charles III's Honours list
03/01/2023 Local government figures from across the sector have been recognised in the first New Year's Honours list under King Charles III. |
Council declares ‘pee-back time’
15/12/2022 Westminster City Council is cracking down on revellers who use Soho’s streets as a public urinal. |
Deaths caused by alcohol reach 'record high'
09/12/2022 Council leaders have called for a 'concerted approach' to tackling alcohol dependency after figures showed the number of deaths caused by alcohol has hit a record high. |
Number of recorded smokers reaches all-time low
06/12/2022 The number of people smoking has fallen to 13% in 2021, the lowest level on record, official figures have revealed. |
Council chiefs urge more action to address ‘dental deserts’
29/11/2022 Local authority leaders have called for ‘much more’ to be done to address the shortage of NHS dentists as the Government unveils its new dental care plan. |
Ministers urged to break the link between drugs and deprivation
14/11/2022 Around 1,600 drug-related deaths could be prevented in the North and Scotland if the Government ensures drugs policy reform is included in levelling up plans, a think tank has argued today. |
Councils warn of a 'dramatic' fall in teeth extractions due to pandemic
07/11/2022 The number of teeth extractions carried out on children in hospital fell to a record low in 2020/21 due to procedures being cancelled or delayed, council leaders have warned. |
Public health budget slashed by a quarter, charity reveals
26/10/2022 A charity has warned against cuts to public health as an analysis reveals that austerity under Conservative governments has hit the poorest the hardest. |
Young children across London to be offered polio vaccine booster
11/08/2022 Children aged 1 to 9 in London will be offered a polio vaccine booster after a poliovirus was detected in sewage. |
Sharp increase in drug deaths ‘very concerning’, council chiefs say
03/08/2022 The over 6% increase in the number of drug related deaths in England and Wales is ‘very concerning’, local authority leaders say. |
'Drastic' action needed to meet childhood obesity targets, councils warn
20/07/2022 The Government is likely to miss its childhood obesity targets despite a fall in obesity rates in primary school children, council chiefs have warned today. |
Councils warn public health investment needed to deliver women’s health strategy
20/07/2022 Council leaders have warned that past cuts to public health funding could undermine government efforts to tackle major inequalities within women’s health. |
Immediate action needed to achieve smokefree target, review warns
09/06/2022 The age in which people can buy tobacco products should increase by one year every year until no-one is able to purchase them in this country, a new review has recommended. |
Council chiefs urge people to be alert after new monkeypox cases detected
24/05/2022 Local authority leaders have urged everyone to be aware of any unusual rashes or lesions as 36 additional cases of monkeypox are detected in England. |
Councils warn illicit tobacco could undermine smoking cessation efforts
23/05/2022 Council leaders have warned the cost of living crisis could cause more people to use cheap counterfeit tobacco, widening health disparities. |
Loneliness-related mental health problems impact vulnerable communities
16/05/2022 Disparities in local funding mean that vulnerable citizens are lacking access to social resources that might provide mental health support, study reveals. |
Charity warns of 'rapid rise' in food poverty
09/05/2022 More than seven million people live in households that have been forced to skip meals because they couldn't afford or get access to food, new data has revealed. |
Ministers urged to reverse public health cuts
22/03/2022 The Local Government Association (LGA) has urged ministers to reverse public health cuts amid warnings the COVID-19 pandemic has left staff exhausted and exacerbated recruitment difficulties. |
England sees ‘significant reduction’ in deaths from hepatitis C
03/03/2022 There has been a ‘significant reduction’ in deaths from hepatitis C in England, a new report has revealed. |
Report calls for stronger action on major health risk factors
23/02/2022 The Government's current approach to tackling the leading risk factors for ill health is 'insufficient' to deliver on its key targets, according to a new report. |
Public health directors warn of dangers in ending COVID-19 testing
17/02/2022 The Government is reportedly looking at scrapping free tests as part of its national post-COVID plan. |
Lack of movement skills in children risks a 'tsunami' of health issues
28/01/2022 The UK will face a 'tsunami' of health issues unless the physical activity skills of children and teenagers are improved, academics have warned today. |
Council chiefs warn vital health services ‘at risk’
20/01/2022 Vital frontline health services are at risk due to a lack of certainty around councils’ public health funding, local authority leaders have warned. |
New app to help improve children's diet
10/01/2022 A new app to help families improve the diets of their children has been launched today. |
Sandwell calls for action on test shortage
06/01/2022 A council has written to ministers after it was forced to step in to alleviate a shortage of COVID testing kits. |
Lords call for national plan to tackle inactivity
13/12/2021 Local authorities should have a legal duty to provide and maintain sport and leisure facilities, according to a Lords Committee. |
Alcohol-related deaths rose by record levels during pandemic
08/12/2021 The number of deaths caused by alcohol misuse increased by nearly 19% in 2020, official figures have shown. |
Largest ever funding boost to tackle drug misuse
07/12/2021 All local authorities in England are set to receive new funding to tackle drug and alcohol misuse over the next three years. |
Wolverhampton to pilot new anti-obesity scheme
02/12/2021 Residents in Wolverhampton could receive vouchers and tickets if they adopt healthier lifestyle choices, under a new scheme being piloted in the city. |
West Midlands to receive £6.5m to boost sports
18/11/2021 The West Midlands are to receive a £6.5m injection of cash to help improve facilities and level up access to community sport as part of the legacy of next summer’s Commonwealth Games. |
England's first specialist clinics to help severely obese children
16/11/2021 More than 1,000 severely obese children will receive specialist treatment and targeted support every year as part of a new pilot project. |
New partnership will roll out anti-spiking tests across Greater Manchester
10/11/2021 Anti-spiking tests will be rolled out across major venues in Greater Manchester as part of a new partnership to tackle drink spiking. |
Plans to make Wales smoke-free by 2030
08/11/2021 A new plan to make Wales smoke-free by the end of the decade has been unveiled. |
Putting health and wellbeing at the heart of Ashfield
01/11/2021 While many councils are struggling with outdated and under-used leisure facilities, Laura Sharman finds out how Ashfield District Council is bucking this trend thanks to a new leisure management contract and transformation programme. |
E-cigarettes could be prescribed on the NHS
29/10/2021 England could become the first country in the world to prescribe e-cigarettes in a bid to reduce smoking rates. |
Think-tank makes call for wellbeing budgets
18/10/2021 The Government should introduce ‘wellbeing budgets’ that look beyond gross domestic product (GDP) to reduce regional health inequalities, a think-tank has urged. |
Councils call for £100m investment in school counselling
15/10/2021 The Government has been urged to invest at least £100m per year to make school-based counselling available to all children. |
One in 10 people will have diabetes within a decade, charity warns
06/10/2021 One in 10 adults in the UK could be diabetic by 2030, according to new analysis by Diabetes UK. |
Public health grant cuts run counter to levelling up, say experts
05/10/2021 Real terms cuts to local public health work against levelling up and the Government must boost funding after years of underinvestment, say two leading health organisations. |
Problem gambling costs society £1.27 billion a year, review finds
01/10/2021 Gambling-related harms costs society at least £1.27bn a year, a review by Public Health England has found. |
Councils call for £1bn investment for ageing sport facilities
16/09/2021 Council leaders are calling for the spending review to include £1bn to modernise sport facilities, after warning nearly two-thirds of the leisure estate is past its replacement date. |
‘No evidence’ integration improves healthcare
03/09/2021 New analysis of health and care integration pilots has questioned the benefits they bring about. |
Why councils should have the power to improve safety of cosmetic treatments
06/08/2021 Tony Veverka argues local authorities must be given new powers to better regulate non-surgical cosmetic procedures. |
Councils warn licensing decisions should cover public health
06/08/2021 Council leaders have called for the power to take public health into account when deciding whether to grant licences to protect communities from harm. |
Drug-related deaths in England and Wales reach record high
04/08/2021 The number of drug-related deaths in England and Wales reached a record high in 2020, official figures have revealed. |
Councils get funding to deliver milk and healthy snack scheme
02/08/2021 Scottish local authorities will receive up to £12m funding to ensure all eligible pre-schoolers get milk and a healthy snack. |
MPs call for a new exercise campaign to get children more active
29/07/2021 The Government should encourage children to become more active by launching a sports equivalent to the '5 A Day' campaign by the end of this year, MPs have said today. |
Eight more regions to become Project ADDER Accelerator sites
28/07/2021 Eight more local authorities will become Project ADDER Accelerator sites to help tackle drug misuse and crack-down on drug-related crime. |
North and Midlands see greatest levels of smoking-related poverty
23/07/2021 The number of smokers living in poverty is concentrated in the North and Midlands, according to new research. |
Vaccinated social care staff no longer required to self-isolate
19/07/2021 Health leaders have been left divided by the Government’s announcement that fully vaccinated social care staff and NHS workers who have been told to self-isolate will be allowed to continue working. |
'Deeply concerning' rise in alcohol-related deaths during pandemic
15/07/2021 Increased alcohol consumption during the pandemic has led to a 'deeply concerning' increase in deaths, new figures have warned. |
Local government funding cuts have ‘cost lives’, study warns
15/07/2021 Cuts in local government funding over recent years have cost lives and reduced life expectancy, academics have warned in a new study. |
Review calls for significant investment in drug treatment
08/07/2021 Local authorities should be given an extra £550m over the next five years to deliver drug treatment in their local communities, an independent review has said today. |
