The Department of Health has awarded £1.8m to councils and their partners to improve health and wellbeing services.

The grant will be co-ordinated by the Local Government Association (LGA) and will go towards the continuing development of health and wellbeing leadership and the sharing and learning of information.

Part of the funding will be delegated to regional partnerships to help foster greater levels of cooperation.

‘Historically councils were the driving force behind many major improvement initiatives, from the introduction of sewers and social housing to ensuring health and safety in the workplace,' said chair of the LGA's community wellbeing board, Cllr Zoe Patrick.

‘With the new health reforms now in force, we once again find ourselves in the driving seat of health improvement at a local level.'