CHANGES to Lancashire County Council's smoking, drug, alcohol treatment and healthy weight services have been revealed.

Following a consultation it was decided to discontinue the Active Lives Healthy Weight contracts in March next year and reduce the budget for this by £1.5million.

The council also decided to find new options which will encourage people to manage their weight.

The cabinet also decided to refresh the stop smoking service so it focuses on key community groups, as well as making change to the rehabilitation part of the substance misuse service to save £675,000.

County Cllr Shaun Turner, cabinet member for health and wellbeing, said: "Reducing the budget for these health improvement services is a very tough decision.

"We fully recognise the importance of preventing illness, but we are having to respond to the reduction in the national ring fenced public health grant.

"We will continue to ensure that prevention is embedded in everything we do as a council and find innovative ways of enabling people to live healthier and happier lives.

"As well as making these savings, we're also reorganising these services so that we work much closer with other partner organisations such as the NHS, target services on specific sections of the community in most need of support and make better use of digital technology to help people to stay well and get support when they need it."