London charity urges councils to work closely with Government

Councils must pool resources and work with Government to tackle national challenges, London charity says.

Environmental health departments must pool resources and work together with Government to improve public health, the Chair of a new London charity will say on Monday.

Speaking at the launch of the Association of London Environment Health Managers (Alehm) Chair Steve Miller will say:

“The demands placed on local government have expanded and so too has the role of environmental health departments.

“If we are to successfully tackle the issues affecting modern society, from climate change to obesity, we must pool resources, knowledge and work in closer partnership with Government and its agencies.”  

Alehm works to promote the coordinated delivery of environmental health across London, as well as providing a strategic and policy forum for its members.

The organisation has already worked with the Food Standards Agency, and the Chartered Institute of Environmental Health (CIEH), helping create the popular London wide Scores on the Doors scheme. Other projects have included collaboration with the Health and Safety Executive and Thames Water.

The association becomes a charity after having been established as a voluntary service by London-wide heads of department in order to build on past successes and increase opportunities for future partnership working.

London’s environmental health services play a vital role protecting health and promoting improvements in the lives of the communities they serve.

The 33 London boroughs provide services such as health and safety, food safety and hygiene, housing, licensing, pollution control, pest control and emergency planning to approximately eight million people and over 250,000 businesses.

Environmental health services deal with the most fundamental problems facing communities, working to reduce health inequalities, support the vulnerable and improve local opportunities.

Delegates from a host of government departments, including the Health protection Agency, the Food Standards Agency, the Local Better Regulation Executive, the Health Protection Authority and the Olympic Delivery Authority will attend the launch of Alehm at 15 Hatfields, London, on Monday 8 September.