About the Smokefree Councillor Network

Through concerted evidence-based action at international, national, regional and local levels, adult smoking prevalence has been reduced by over a quarter in the last decade to its lowest ever recorded level of 13.9% in England, saving thousands of lives and years lived with disability. However, smoking remains the largest cause of preventable death and disease and the single largest cause of health inequalities in England.

The Smokefree Councillor Network was established in recognition of the key role of local leadership in redressing these inequalities and achieving the Government’s ambition of delivering a Smokefree England by 2030.The Smokefree Councillor Network’s aims are aligned with the Local Government Declaration on Tobacco Control. The Declaration is a public commitment to a range of measures ensuring tobacco control is part of mainstream public health work and commits councils to taking comprehensive action to address the harm from smoking.

The network is a cross-party group of elected members committed to achieving comprehensive local government action on tobacco and the elimination of the harm it causes in our communities. The network has launched with the membership and support of the LGA Community Wellbeing Board’s leadership:

"With smoking still the single largest cause of preventable death and disease across our communities, the Smokefree Councillor Network is a very welcome and worthwhile endeavour."
—Councillor Ian Hudspeth (Chair of the LGA Community Wellbeing Board, Oxfordshire County Council)