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.
Funded by the Department for Health and Social Care, the programme will see the LGA work with councils in England, starting in June 2026, to support local public health teams to deliver better health outcomes for their communities. It will include public health peer reviews.
The programme will be developed in partnership with councils and Directors of Public Health to ensure it can best support improvement needs and help deliver local public health priorities.
As part of the Government’s 10-year Health Plan, local government plays a central role in driving prevention and improving population health. Public health is key to delivering this ambition across health protection, health improvement, and healthcare public health.
The new improvement programme aims to maximise public health benefits from wider local authority spending and the Local Authority Public Health Grant. It will help ensure that councils are better supported to deliver on their statutory duties and public health outcome priorities, including those set out in the Local Outcomes Framework.
Cllr Louise Gittins, Chair of the Local Government Association, said:
“Councils are committed to improving the lives of local people across the country, through locally tailored services that prevent illness, address the root causes of poor health, and reduce inequalities.
“We are pleased to be leading the public health improvement and support programme helping councils to continuously improve their services. It will give councils the space, support and insight they need to celebrate what’s working, tackle what’s getting in the way, and accelerate progress for their communities.
“The LGA’s councillor and officer peers are at the heart of the LGA’s sector support offers and continue to provide highly valued, expert support. It’s about learning together, improving together, and unlocking the full potential of local public health.
"Given the central role of councils to its ambitions, we look forward to working with the Government through this programme and more widely to deliver the 10-year Health Plan for England.”
Health Minister Sharon Hodgson said:
“Moving from sickness to prevention is a key component of our 10-year Health Plan and councils play a huge role in improving public health.
"They understand the needs of their local communities best, and this government-funded service will make them better equipped to provide critical services including stop-smoking, weight management, substance misuse and sexual health services.”
Notes to Editors
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Under the Health and Social Care Act 2012, local councils in England are legally responsible for delivering public health services. They are required to take appropriate actions to improve the health and wellbeing of their local populations.
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These include early years health services such as Health Visting, sexual health services, and initiatives to reduce substance use.
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The Public Health Peer Review programme is a replacement for the existing public health support offer for councils.
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Over the next three years, 90 public health peer views will be delivered by the LGA through the Local Authority Public Health Peer Review and External Support programme.
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The newly launched Local Outcomes Framework (LOF) supports public health peer reviews by providing a consistent set of indicators that help peer teams assess local performance, identify strengths and gaps, and benchmark progress in improving health and reducing inequalities.