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"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.

"Councils are ready to support the ambitions of the plan by helping to ensure that new approaches – innovation, technology, and digital tools – reach every community, particularly those with the poorest outcomes."

New research has found that integrated services are key to meeting the national target of achieving 75 per cent of five-year-olds with a good level of development (GLD) by 2028, but that workforce shortages and limited access to high-quality early years education are restricting progress.

"It’s never too late to catch up on vaccines. Councils will continue to play a central role in providing trusted information to families and helping tackle misinformation so that more children are protected from preventable illness."