Cllr Dr Wendy Taylor, newly appointed Chair of the LGA’s Health and Wellbeing Committee, shares her vision for a healthier, fairer future. Drawing on her dual experience as a Newcastle City councillor and Consultant Clinical Oncologist, she emphasises the vital role of local government in shaping health beyond clinical settings.
I am deeply honoured to begin my term as Chair of the Local Government Association’s Health and Wellbeing Committee. As both a long-serving councillor on Newcastle City Council and a Consultant Clinical Oncologist at the Freeman Hospital, I’ve seen first-hand how health and wellbeing are shaped not only in hospitals and clinics, but also in our homes, communities, and local services.
I would like to extend my sincere thanks to Councillor David Fothergill for his outstanding leadership. David guided the Committee through some of the most challenging periods in recent memory, including the recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic and the growing pressures on adult social care. His commitment to collaboration and championing the role of local government in health has left a lasting legacy. I am grateful for his guidance and look forward to building on the strong foundations he has laid.
Local government plays a pivotal role in driving, shaping, and delivering reforms that create a more effective health, social care, and support system - one that prioritises prevention, tackles health inequalities, addresses the wider determinants of health, and empowers people to live the lives they want to lead. This principle will be at the heart of everything we do.
As Chair, I will lead the Committee in delivering a comprehensive and ambitious work programme. We will work closely with the Casey Independent Commission into Adult Social Care to ensure that the voices of councils and communities help shape its direction. We will continue to advocate for sustainable funding to meet the growing demand for care and support.
We will champion long-term investment in prevention and early intervention for disabled people, frail adults, those with autism or learning disabilities, those with dementia and unpaid carers. Our work will support councils to lead place-based approaches that reduce pressure on NHS services and improve quality of life. Public health remains a core priority. We will continue to push for sustainable funding, improved access to NHS dentistry, and a long-term sexual health strategy. We will advocate for children’s health to be prioritised in Integrated Care Boards and support further investment in family hubs, health visiting, and school nursing and vital Start for Life services. We will also support the passage of the Tobacco and Vapes Bill - a landmark public health measure aimed at creating a smoke-free generation and tackling youth vaping through stronger regulation of sales, advertising, and product standards.
Mental health and suicide prevention will remain central to our work. We will highlight the pressures councils face in delivering statutory duties and call for the resources needed to support community mental health services and supported housing. We will also promote the wider role of councils in fostering mental wellbeing across communities
We will align our work with the ambitions of the government’s 10-Year Health Plan for England, which outlines a bold vision to transform the NHS into a more preventative, patient-centred, and technologically advanced service. As the plan rightly recognises, the future of healthcare must be rooted in early intervention, community-based support, and strong local partnerships - areas where councils are already leading the way. With major changes underway in the NHS and Integrated Care Boards, we will develop a programme focused on neighbourhood health, joint commissioning, accountability, and prevention. We will also work closely with the Children, Young People and Family Committee to ensure that reforms benefit people of all ages.
Our work will also include supporting an ageing society, upholding the Armed Forces Covenant, promoting health improvement, and addressing the wider determinants of health, including poverty prevention and welfare reform.
Tackling health inequalities will remain a central focus. Recent government reports show that people living in the most deprived areas of England face significantly higher rates of emergency hospital admissions - particularly for respiratory and infectious diseases (e.g. tuberculosis and measles) - and are more exposed to environmental and health hazards. These disparities are even more pronounced among some ethnic minority groups and inclusion health populations. Addressing these systemic and structural inequalities requires coordinated, place-based action - and local government is uniquely positioned to lead that change.
To deliver on these priorities, I will work closely with ministers, government departments, and national partners to ensure that the voice of local government is heard at every level of decision-making. Strong collaboration between central and local government is essential if we are to create a health and care system that truly meets the needs of our communities.
With nearly four decades of experience in both the NHS and local government, I bring a dual perspective that I hope will help bridge the gap between clinical care and community wellbeing. As both a councillor and a doctor, I have worked with people facing some of life’s most difficult challenges. That lived experience will guide me as we work together to build healthier, more resilient communities.
I warmly encourage councillors, health professionals, and partners to get in touch, share best practice, and contribute to our work. Your insights and experiences are vital to shaping effective health and care policy and delivering meaningful change. By working together, we can ensure local government continues to lead the way in shaping healthier, fairer communities.
Cllr Dr Wendy Taylor
Chair, LGA Health and Wellbeing Committee