STOP smoking services, sexual health advice, domestic abuse support and drug recovery help all face being cut in Worcestershire, it has emerged.

Worcestershire County Council has revealed a fresh round of cuts to public health services, with the finger of blame being pointed at central Government.

The reductions, described as "depressing" by councillors, include:

  • Ending smoking cessation services in Worcestershire for everyone except pregnant women
  • Another five per cent cut to support for drug and alcohol recovery services
  • A cut of around 10 per cent for domestic abuse support
  • Reducing spending on sexual health by 12.5 per cent from October

County Hall has a legal responsibility for public health but its main grant funding of £26.5 million has been slashed 6.2 per cent, with £1.9 million chopped off.

The cash goes to third party bodies like the NHS and charities to address the health needs of the population.

The Worcester News first revealed how cuts were likely last year, when central Government reduced the cash, but bossed ended up raiding a reserve kitty to plug the gaps and delay it.

But most of the changes will now kick in this October, leading to a debate during a meeting of the health overview and scrutiny panel (HOSC) at County Hall.

It comes as a fresh report was published calling it "unexpected" and "difficult to manage".

Councillor Graham Vickery, Labour's health spokesman, said: "I've woke up every day for the last week feeling depressed, and this report hasn't cheered me up.

"It's a very sad report and the actions being taken are very much to be regretted."

Councillor Alan Amos, who chairs HOSC, also admitted he had concerns, saying: "The money simply isn't going to be there and that bothers me."

The corporate director in charge of public health, Francis Howie, told the committee she felt it was "not on" for the Government to levy sudden cuts in the middle of a financial year.

"It was unexpected, and we made representations to central Government about it," she said.

"In-year cuts were really not on, but nevertheless those cuts happened."

The surprise move was announced by Chancellor George Osborne last year as he wielded the axe to public health grants nationwide, cutting £200 million.

Conservative Councillor John Smith, the cabinet member for health and wellbeing, said: "None of us really like this but we have to make sure the services we provide are in the right areas and the right direction.

"It is not easy, but we are committed to improving the health of the county within the resources we've got."

More changes are due in later years, with Government figures revealing how the allocations of public health grants will be reduced by more than £160 million, on top of the previous changes.

The Department of Health has said that public health funding, which was devolved to local government in 2013, would be reduced by an average of 3.9 per cent every year in real terms until 2020.