Portsmouth City councillors have united in lobbying the government to reinstate cuts to addiction and recovery funding.
At a recent full council meeting, councillor Matthew Winnington tabled a notice of motion calling on the Labour government to U-turn on cuts to addiction support services.
The council recently discovered it will see a three-year reduction to the ringfenced element of the public health grant, amounting to £207,000 or nine per cent.
Cllr Winnington said it is a “shame” to be addressing cuts to “some of the most critical treatment services that we have in our city”.
He said the move comes after central government “chronically underfunded” other areas of the country.
He added that Hampshire County Council, which has more than six times the population of Portsmouth, receives the “same amount of money we do”.
Instead of raising funding for authorities, the government is redistributing funds towards underfunded areas, away from those that have “too much”.
He said the cuts would likely mean the council takes money from the wider public health budget, which would still leave it down £29,000 over three years.
In real terms, taking inflation and other costs into account, that figure rises to more than £500,000, he said.
The motion called on all members to sign a letter to the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, Wes Streeting.
Cllr Graham Heaney tabled an amendment asking city MPs to write to the government instead of councillors, stating that Wes Streeting is unlikely to “fall off his chair” after reading a letter from councillors.
Cllr Nick Dorrington spoke about his “lived experience” of addiction and recovery, and his charity work with the Silkworth Project.
“This possible cutting of support reveals one of the biggest problems we face in this sector – how deeply misunderstood addiction truly is.
“Addiction is not a series of bad decisions, it is a mental and physical illness – it’s like having a mind that’s turned against you, a darkness that grows inside of you that fill you with fear, anxiety, shame, self loathing and depression.
He added that if funding is cut “we are not saving money, we are not solving the issue, we are adding to the problem” such as antisocial behaviour, homelessness and emergency service demand.
“Support is not a luxury, it’s not optional, it’s the difference between someone making it to the next month or not.”
The motion was approved unanimously. Cllr Heaney’s amendment was not subsumed.
Get the latest BREAKING NEWS for the SOUTH on your phone by downloading the V2 RADIO APP today!
V2VOUCHERS.CO.UK is offering half-price deals on a wide range of experiences across the South, from meals out at local restaurants to tickets for some of the region’s biggest events.
Man admits rape of woman in Worthing car park
West Sussex Fire and Rescue give tips to keep safe with e-cigarettes
Appeal after pet theft in Brighton
Police hotspot patrols in Sussex slash crime in targeted areas
Oral history mental health project launches in Worthing
Police investigating burglary at Eastbourne flat
New AI cameras to detect traffic offences in Sussex
ID sought following series of tendering offences across Sussex
Road safety work begins in Chichester
Tender options at Portsmouth's Spinnaker Tower
On Air