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"To ensure equitable access to testing and treatment, improve prevention, and tackle health inequalities, sexual health services must be adequately resourced with sustained investment, particularly where demand is concentrated among young people and higher-risk groups.

“A year on, the volume of vapes in our bins has dropped, but industry has moved faster than regulation – the products causing fires in our bin lorries today are effectively the same disposables in a different shell.

Without an independent, locally rooted voice to challenge and represent communities, there is a risk of duplication and gaps in accountability.

"Many councils are already introducing smoke and vape-free spaces, particularly play spaces, sports sidelines and school gates. National consistency across settings would help protect children, health and care patients, and non-users from harmful exposure."

"We support this focus on improving mental health care with a national strategy centred on prevention."

The creation of a smokefree generation, preventing young people from ever starting to smoke, is one of the most effective ways to improve health outcomes and manage future pressure on our health and care services.

Responding to the Government's latest Women's Healthcare strategy, Cllr Louise Gittins, Chair of the LGA, said: “We support the ambition to put women’s voices and lived experience at the heart of healthcare.

A major new local authority public health improvement and support offer is to be led by the Local Government Association (LGA) over the next three years.

"Creating a smokefree generation will only be achieved through sustained prevention, legislation and a shared commitment across government, local government, health services, and communities."

We are pleased to see a real terms increase in the grant, alongside alignment with the Local Government Finance Settlement, the bringing together of key funding streams for services and continued investment in the Swap to Stop scheme.