MORE lives could be lost due to a council’s plans to cut financial support for two public health organisations.

As part of a raft of potential savings announced last week, Darlington Borough Council said it would no longer contribute to Balance, the regional office for the reduction of alcohol harm, and Fresh, its tobacco equivalent.

Along with other North-East local councils, Darlington Borough Council has contracts with both organisations which end in March next year and is proposing not to renew the agreements.

In the case of Fresh the council would save about £29,000 a year, while it is thought there would be a similar saving by not signing up with Balance.

The council could pull out earlier, but could face additional costs if did so.

In a joint statement, Ailsa Rutter, director of Fresh, and Colin Shevills, director of Balance, said: “Working together as a region makes us more effective and also more cost effective for the people of Darlington.

“The concern is we see rates of smoking and risky drinking creep up again, with more lives lost, more illness and more pressure on local services.”

The duo added: “We absolutely sympathise with Darlington Council which is facing incredibly hard decisions with regards to public health and many other areas due to cuts.

“However, the North-East suffers an appalling burden as a result of alcohol and smoking, with a massive cost to local authorities and the NHS and as a cause of poverty to many families.”

Smoking rates among adults and teenagers in the North-East have reduced over the last decade, while alcohol related hospital admissions are decreasing faster than in any other region in England.

However, the financial impact of alcohol and smoking together on the North-East remains huge and is estimated at £1.1bn.