Local authority leaders have urged the Government to stick to its pledge to reinvest money raised from the soft drinks industry levy into council-run initiatives to boost physical activity.

The levy, designed to reduce the consumption of sugary drinks, has raised around £1.2bn since its introduction but the chairman of the Local Government Association's community wellbeing board, David Fothergill, said it was 'increasingly unclear' how the revenue generated was being spent.

Cllr Fothergill said: ‘It is vitally important that money raised through the levy is reinvested in physical activity programmes in local communities and other support to tackle childhood obesity.'