Councillors call for more cash to tackle health issues

Plymouth councillors are calling on Government for a fairer amount of cash to tackle major public health issues in the city.

Despite the significant health challenges Plymouth faces, the city receives just £43 per person, £12 per person less than the Public Health England target figure of £55.

A Motion set to be discussed at today’s Full Council from Councillor Sue McDonald, Cabinet Member for Public Health and Adult Social Care, highlights the huge difference in the amount of cash awarded to Plymouth by central government when compared with other similar cities.

Councillor McDonald explains: “It is crystal clear how badly underfunded we are when we look at Plymouth’s settlement figure alongside other similar cities. This Council cannot stand quietly by and allow the people of Plymouth to be short-changed. They deserve the best of health and to support this we must ensure we receive fair funding for public health.

“Today we are asking our fellow politicians to stand up for the people of Plymouth and back a recommendation to arrange a meeting with the relevant Government representatives so we can state the city’s case face to face.”

Plymouth settlement for 2014/15 is set to be £47 per head, whilst settlements in similar cities include: Portsmouth £75 per person, Brighton and Hove £66, Bristol £62 and Southampton £59.

The public health picture in Plymouth is challenging - only four out of the 32 targets have been achieved and in 18 of those the city fairs significantly worse than the national average.

Public health funding is to achieve two main outcomes: increased healthy life expectancy and reduce differences in life expectancy and healthy life expectancy between communities.

The Motion asks the Leader of the Council to write to the Rt Hon Jeremy Hunt MP, Secretary of State for Health and to the Parliamentary Under Secretary for Public health, Jane Ellison MP to request a meeting with the Council and the city’s MPs to ensure this funding shortfall is rectified as a matter of urgency. It also recommends the Chief Executive seeks an urgent meeting with Duncan Selbie, Chief Executive of Public Health England to discuss the matter.