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‘Underlying and existing pressures remain,’ local government warns
Sector figures in local government welcomed the certainty but highlighted underlying pressures after the government set out how it intends to fund local government over the next two years.
A policy paper setting out a two-year "blueprint" for local government spending was published yesterday, ahead of the publication of the provisional local government financial settlement later this month.
James Jamieson (Con), the chair of the LGA said: “It is good that councils have been given some of the certainty they need to set budgets next year and the increase in local government core spending power next year will help them deal with inflationary and other cost pressures.
“Underlying and existing pressures remain for councils, which means they still face significant challenges when setting their budgets and trying to protect services from cutbacks.”
Sam Chapman-Allen (Con), the chair of the District Councils’ Network said it was clear that the government has “recognised that district councils need additional resources to underpin the vital frontline services” they deliver.
However, while he welcomed the extra spending power announced as a “step in the right direction” Cllr Chapman-Allen warned “it will not remove the difficult choices that so many council leaders face”.
Carl Les (Con), County Councils Network Finance Spokesperson, said: “The funding provided to local government over the next financial year will go a significant way to easing the inflationary pressures facing councils next year. However, county authorities still face very difficult budget decision next year, including on whether to increase council tax by the 5% permitted next year.”
Source: Local Government Chronicle, 13 December 2022
See also: Local government finance policy statement 2023-24 to 2024-25
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Junk food adverts could be banned near schools in Yorkshire in bid to save lives
Sheffield Council and the NHS are jointly working on tackling people’s exposure to unhealthy industries such as tobacco, gambling and fast food in order to tackle some of the biggest killer diseases.
Amanda Pickard, who is acting health improvement principal at Sheffield City Council, spoke at a council health and wellbeing board about an approach to public health that stops looking at people’s individual choices and instead targets the impact of companies producing unhealthy products and services.
She said: “It’s not about being anti-corporate, it’s not being anti-industry, and by association anti-business, it’s very much about being anti-harm and the scale of harm that comes from the commodities and the tactics that are used by these corporates in pushing their unhealthy commodities.”
She said the effects on children are particularly worrying. “Just taking childhood obesity rates, almost 40 per cent in some of our most deprived areas of Sheffield in terms of childhood obesity, and that leads to some of our non-communicable diseases – cancers, type two diabetes, stroke – often at a young age.”
The report that Amanda, her colleague Magdalena Boo and city director of public health Greg Fell put forward argues for a public health playbook to counter the industry playbook that unhealthy commodities industries have used since the 1950s, originating in the tobacco industry.
The industry playbook focuses on creating doubt around evidence that certain products and services are unhealthy, arguing against regulation and getting a ‘seat at the table’ by sponsoring events and lobbying.
Amanda pointed out that limiting exposure to unhealthy advertising is often very popular, citing Transport for London’s 2019 ban on junk food advertising, which had a high approval rating and hit sales of sugary food and drink. Evaluation of the results co-authored by the University of Sheffield showed a 4.8 per cent decrease in obesity, 3,000 potential fewer cases of diabetes and a £218m million NHS saving.
Source: The Yorkshire Post, 11 December 2022
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Point of order: tobacco control plan
Asked by Alex Cunningham, Labour, Stockton North
On a point of order, Madam Deputy Speaker, we seem to have been waiting for many years for the tobacco control plan from the Government—a plan to reduce and then eradicate smoking in communities by 2030. Sadly, despite promises from a series of Health Ministers, we are still waiting. Now we have mixed reports about the Government plans on funding and the proposal to increase the age at which people can buy tobacco products. Many thousands of people continue to die from smoking every year and many more suffer chronic ill health. We need action now. Have you had any indication from the Government that they plan to publish the tobacco control plan and/or make a statement, not just on the 2030 target, but on their policy going forward?
Answered by Madam Deputy Speaker, Dame Rosie Winterton
I thank the hon. Gentleman for his point of order and for giving me notice of it. I can tell him that I have had no indication from the Government that they intend to make a statement on the subject, but I am very aware that we have a well-occupied Treasury Front Bench and I am sure they will have noted his comments and will feed his concerns back.
Source: Hansard, 13 December 2022
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