Councils to promote healthy lifestyles in shake-up

Councils are to be put in charge of encouraging healthier lifestyles under new plans to be unveiled by ministers.

Local public health directors will be moved out of the NHS and into local government as part of the shake-up.

The government believes the wider remit of councils in areas such as housing, transport and leisure puts them in a stronger position to tackle smoking, drinking and obesity in England.

Branwen Jeffreys reports.