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Councils’ net revenue spending rose by 11.4% in real terms in 2020-21, according to government figures – with net spend on adult social care rising by £2bn (12%). Local authorities' total service expenditure in the last financial year - dominated by their response to COVID-19 - was £107.1bn, compared to the previous year’s total of £96.1bn (in 2020-21 prices).
The Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities (DLUHC) said that the increase was the result of both higher spending and reduced income from fees and charges during the pandemic. The real terms rise in net revenue spending (service expenditure, minus income from sales, fees and charges) was significantly higher than the previous year’s increase of 1% and the total figure fell in the three years before that.
Councils’ net spend in adult social care rose by £2bn (12%) to reach £18.9bn. DLUHC notes that the full extent of public spending on adult social care was significantly higher than this, because the “significant funding” that comes to councils via the NHS, such as through Better Care Fund pooled budgets, which in 2019-20 was £2.3bn, has already been deducted. Net spend on children’s social care rose by 6% to reach £10.6bn. The largest area of service expenditure in 2020-21 was education (31.7%), followed by adult social care (17.6%) and children’s social care (9.9%). The figures are based on data from 366 of the 432 local authorities in England in 2020-21 – including organisations such as police and crime commissioners and fire authorities as well as councils.
Source: Local Government Chronicle, 21 October 2021
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Hampshire County Council has dropped plans to cut its public health budget to deliver savings. During a public consultation earlier this year respondents pointed out that it would be a false economy and increase burdens on other parts of the council and community.
In a statement the Institute of Health Visiting said: “We are beyond delighted to announce that Hampshire County Council has reconsidered its position to cut £2.09 million from its public health budget. [..] We do not underestimate the difficult decisions facing councils across the country and want to thank Hampshire County Council for their openness about these challenges which really struck a chord nationally – this was never just a ‘Hampshire issue’ or a criticism of their proposals as an isolated case [...] We also recognise that Councils are being forced to make some very difficult decisions; robbing Peter to pay Paul is not the answer!”
Councillor Liz Fairhurst, county council executive lead member for adult services and public health said: “I would like to thank everyone who took part in the consultation. Their views, along with feedback from Public Health England (PHE) on use of Public Health ringfenced grant, means that the proposals originally shared with the public have been substantially altered [...] The scrutiny committee will now review the proposals in detail; then pass them to me, with any additional changes they may wish to recommend, for a final decision in November.”
It was anticipated that the county council’s public health function would need to contribute £6.8 million of savings in 2021/22 towards the local authority’s overall budget shortfall. Following feedback from the consultation and subsequent discussions, no further savings towards the £6.8 million target will be made from public health. The council says savings have instead been made through organisational transformation and additional savings will be made through adult social care, as a consequence of a reduction in client numbers experienced during the pandemic.
Source: Hampshire Chronicle, 21 October 2021
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British American Tobacco (BAT) has invested around $3.5 million in energy and wellness drinks start-up Tru Inc through its corporate-venture unit Btomorrow Ventures. The company sells sparkling beverages as well as effervescent tablets that it says help with energy, concentration or sleep.
Btomorrow Ventures' portfolio already includes other health and wellness drinks brands, with this latest investment being described as part of a wider push by tobacco companies to transform their image and move away from tobacco products as smoking rates in many countries globally are in decline as a result of progressive tobacco control measures.
Source: Bloomberg, 21 October 2021
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A number of amendments to the Health and Social Care Bill have been tabled during the Bill's committee stage in the House of Commons which would give Government the power to introduce new progressive tobacco control measures.
The amendments introduced by Mary Foy, MP for the City of Durham, and endorsed by a range of cross-party MPs would give the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care powers to:
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impose a new levy on tobacco company profits, with the proceeds being used to fund stop smoking activities;
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raise the age of sale for tobacco products to 21;
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require manufacturers to insert leaflets containing health information and information about smoking cessation services inside cigarette packaging;
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require manufacturers to print health warnings on individual cigarettes;
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prohibit any flavouring in any tobacco product or smoking accessory;
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prohibit branding on e-cigarette packaging which is appealing to children; and
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prohibit the free distribution or sale of any consumer nicotine product to anyone under 18, while allowing the sale or distribution of nicotine replacement therapy licensed for use by under 18s.
The amendments will be debated by the Bill's committee members in the coming weeks. The full list of amendments as of the 22nd October is available via the button below. The amendments are based on recommendations from the latest report from the APPG on Smoking and Health.
See also: The Guardian - ‘Smoking kills’ could be printed on every cigarette under new UK proposals
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