Here's how Wiltshire Council will spend Government money to tackle local drug use

Tuesday, 27 September 2022 01:00

Wiltshire Council has announced how it will spend around £350,000 of a Government grant to tackle local drug use and its damaging impact on individuals, families and communities.

The Supplementary Substance Misuse Treatment and Recovery Grant was awarded to Wiltshire Council, and other authorities across the country, to help support the solution to illicit drug use, including enforcement, and treatment and recovery interventions.

Subject to approval from HM Treasury, the council has been awarded £351,756 for 2022/23, £360,000 in 2023/24, and £630,000 in 2024/25.

Plans for the use of the grant have been approved following engagement and discussion with key stakeholders. This grant money is in addition to the annual funding that Wiltshire Council and its partners commit to spending to tackle and prevent substance misuse harms in the county.

The additional money will go towards:

an increased number of drug and alcohol workersenhanced outreach and engagement, including for people with disabilities and new parentstargeted services/provision for parents in need of treatment and support for children of drug and alcohol dependent parents and familiesadditional young people’s treatment placesincreased residential rehabilitation placements, to ensure the option is available to everyone who would benefitenhanced partnership approaches with physical and mental health services, including the co-location of services and interventionsdevelopment and expansion of a recovery community and peer support networktraining, education, and continuous professional development

The Government published its national 10-year drug strategy, ''Harm to Hope', in December 2021 with a key focus on breaking drug supply chains, delivering a world-class treatment and recovery system, and reducing the demand for recreational drugs.

It is anticipated that the additional national funding will deliver more than 54,000 high-quality treatment places across the country and help support more than 24,000 more people in long-term recovery from substance dependency.

Cllr Ian Blair-Pilling, Wiltshire Council Cabinet Member for Public Health, said, “This is a significant amount of additional money to invest over the next three years, so we’ve been very diligent in our planning with key partners to ensure it supports the people who need it most and it makes a long-term difference to their lives. Drug addiction not only impacts the user but also their loved ones and society around them – it can have a truly devastating effect. This funding should help people on the right path to recovery and allow for interventions to be delivered in a much more effective and timely way.

“Prevention and early intervention are key guiding themes in our Business Plan. We are strongly committed to this in the long term.”

The funding was agreed at Wiltshire Council’s Cabinet meeting on 27th September. The full report can be found here.

If you or anyone you know needs support, advice and guidance about substance misuse, visit Drug and alcohol misuse - Wiltshire Council for a range of information and contact details.