Spending review offers hope with boost for local government funding, but more clarity needed, says CIEH

The Chartered Institute of Environmental Health (CIEH) has welcomed boosts to local government funding and commitments to increase the UK’s resilience to the effects of climate change outlined in the Government’s Comprehensive Spending Review today.

CIEH will be looking for clarity on how multi-year funding commitments for local authority services will apply to environmental health. Such funding would enable local authorities to recruit, retain, and develop skilled Environmental Health Practitioners (EHPs) to provide these essential services and reduce preventable pressures on the NHS.

Other highlights of the Spending Review include:

• CIEH notes that the Government has allocated £80 million per year in the Spending Review for tobacco cessation programmes and enforcement to support delivery of the Tobacco & Vapes Bill. CIEH will look forward to how this funding will support Environmental Health Officers (EHOs) who will play a key role in this enforcement.
• CIEH is encouraged by investment in public transport outlined including for local transport priorities in City Mayoral regions such as zero emission buses, trams and local rail, support for the continued uptake of electric vehicles and funding to build and maintain walking and cycling infrastructure.
• CIEH welcomes increasing support for DEFRA for nature-friendly farming which the Government says will make a significant contribution to the Environment Act targets, including improving air and water quality. CIEH will await more detail to see if this opens up grant funding for Local Authorities in terms of contaminated land or air quality.
• CIEH is encouraged that the Government’s Warm Homes Plan will be boosted with a total of £13.2 billion to be allocated across schemes that support the rollout of heat pumps, alongside energy efficiency measures and other low-carbon technologies, such as solar and batteries.
• Investment in affordable housing of £39 billion for a successor to the Affordable Homes Programme over 10 years is welcome. However, CIEH believes this needs to be coupled with a commitment to improving housing standards. The Renters' Rights Bill is a step in the right direction, but we are not yet convinced that funding matches the additional work that local authorities will need to undertake to enforce the provisions of the Bill.

President of CIEH Mark Elliott, said:

“Today’s Spending Review has offered strong commitments from the Government to boost funding for local government and investment in areas which we hope will have a positive impact on the environment and on people’s health and wellbeing in years to come.

“With this Review, we recognise that the Government wants to encourage growth, and the investment outlined in infrastructure and housing is much needed.

“The involvement of environmental health professionals will be vital to ensure that development is sustainable and safe and contributes to the health and prosperity of communities.

“However, clarity is still needed from the Government on how environmental health teams across the country will be funded in the coming years to support their critical work and we will continue to represent our members and seek this essential commitment.”