Councils can be key drivers of improving health, says Dwayne Johnson. But, with their spending power slashed in half in real terms in the decade to 2020, their ability to do this has been made even more difficult

Fifteen years ago as a director of adult social services, after giving evidence at an All-Party inquiry, I wrote an article entitled Standing at the Crossroads. It highlighted how local government could use its skills, assets and resources to improve wellbeing.