A confirmed increase in our government public health grant has allowed councillors to move to protect a range of local projects.
We received confirmation last Friday (7 February) of a 5.4% uplift in the grant for the next financial year, meaning some savings planned for the 2025/26 budget could be reversed or reduced.
Once we have met our obligation to provide contractual uplifts to NHS contracts and National Insurance increases for public health staff, £230,000 of the additional grant funding is left over.
The proposal is that this will now be used to reduce savings councillors had previously identified as part of the draft budget-setting process.
Cabinet approved the amendment to the draft budget when it met today (Thursday 13 February); the changes will now form part of the agreed budget proposals to be voted on at Budget Council meeting later this month.
Councillor Jacob Allen, interim Cabinet member for Adult Social Care, Public Health and Service Transformation, said: “We are really pleased that the government has provided a significant uplift to public health funding which is all part of the plan to move from crisis to prevention in our health service.
“It is a relief to be able to use some of this 5.4% uplift to support projects that we know make a real difference to our communities, such as our mental health support programmes, ageing well services, cancer screening projects, oral health promotion and support to children.”
Councillor Allen added: “Our public health work has a life-changing impact on residents, and I’m delighted that alongside key investment identified elsewhere in this budget – we have been able to reduce the impact necessary savings will have in this area.”
Councillors will vote on the amended draft budget at Hove Town Hall on 27 February at a Budget Council meeting.