Issue - meetings

Arising from a report of the Public Health and Professional Services Manager, the Community Well-Being Policy Development Group had recommended that the principle of tobacco control be supported and that this Council sign the Local Government Declaration on Tobacco Control.

Arising from a report of the Public Health and Professional Services Manager, the Community Well-Being Policy Development Group had recommended that the principle of tobacco control be supported and that this Council sign the Local Government Declaration on Tobacco Control.

The Cabinet Member for Community Well-Being outlined the contents of the report stating that smoking was bad for your health and your wealth and encouraged the Cabinet to support the principle of tobacco control.

RESOLVED that the recommendation be approved.

(Proposed by the Chairman)

Note:  *Report previously circulated, copy attached to minutes.

To receive a report providing Members with information on the Local Government Declaration on Tobacco Control

The Committee had before it a report * from the Head of Human Resources and Development, providing information to Members on the Local Government Declaration on Tobacco Control, requesting that the Group support the principle of tobacco control and recommend to Cabinet that this Council signs the Local Government Declaration on Tobacco Control

The Public Health and Professional Services Manager outlined the content of the report, explaining that In common with other areas, smoking was the single greatest cause of premature death and disease in Devon, and the single largest factor in health inequalities. It was also a major driver of poverty. The move of public health to local government presented an opportunity for local authorities at all levels to lead local action to tackle smoking, and to ensure that the tobacco industry was not able to influence local tobacco control policy.

Within Mid Devon, the latest health profile data available from Public Health England indicated that around 18% of the adult population smoked and there were 117 smoking related deaths per year, approximately one every three days.

The Local Government Declaration on Tobacco Control was a response to the huge impact that smoking had on communities. It was a commitment to take action and a statement about this authority’s dedication to protecting local communities from the harm caused by smoking.

The Tobacco Declaration had been signed by 100 authorities since inception in March 2013 including all other Devon Councils. The number of signatories was increasing on average by approximately four authorities per month nationally.

It was RECOMMENDED that the Cabinet support the principle of tobacco control and recommends that this Council sign the Local Government Declaration on Tobacco Control.

(Proposed by Councillor Mrs J B Binks and seconded by Cllr Mrs R Berry)

Note:- Report previously circulated and attached to Minutes.