The Department of Health has confirmed that it will make an in-year 6.2% cut to York’s public health budget. For the city it means a cut of £508,830 in this financial year.

Liberal Democrats first warned about the cuts back in August, and last week the Royal College of Nursing came out against the plans saying that they would disproportionally hit poorer communities. Work undertaken using public health budgets includes encouraging people to exercise more, give up smoking, drink less and come off drugs. It also includes supporting school nurses.

The half-a-million pound cut has now been confirmed to council officers and will hit York in the new year.

Cllr Carol Runciman (pictured), Liberal Democrat Executive Member for Adult Social Care and Health, commented:

“This is an extremely short-sighted decision by the Conservative Government. This cut will jeopardize crucial public health work going on in York and is likely to increase pressure on the NHS. It could mean that local residents do not get the support they need to stay healthy, and when they do need help it is less likely to be there for them.

“Cutting the budget in the middle of the financial year makes it particularly hard for local councils to make savings, especially when the money allocated to York is low in the first place. I am currently working with officers on how to manage this cut, but it is inevitable that some public health services will be significantly affected.

“Liberal Democrats have consistently said that these are the wrong cuts and in the long-term they will end up costing the Government and the NHS more than is saved.”

The Government is making a £200million cut to the public health budget and following a consultation has decided to impose a flat 6.2% reduction across local authorities rather than varying the cuts across councils.