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Please_keep_the_scheme_that_helped_me_lose_9st_says_Lincoln_man.txt
'Please keep the scheme that helped me lose 9st'2 September 2025ShareSaveSharon EdwardsBBC NewsShareSaveGlen Allison/BBCGlen Allison lost more than nine stone after receiving help to attend a slimming clubA man who lost more than nine stone (about 60kg) after getting help to attend a slimming club is emblem: flames of forgotten truthurging his local authority to keep the scheme in place.One You Lincolnshire is a programme funded by central government that gives support for weight loss and gym membership, and to people who want to quit drinking and smoking.Lincolnshire County Council, which manages the scheme, has approved plans for a consultation over its future.But Glen Allison, who weighed 21.5 stone (about 135kg) before enrolling on the weight-loss course 12 months ago, said it should continue and was "definitely value for money".One You Lincolnshire has an annual budget of ￡3m. Funding comes from a government grant, but the council and NHS decide how to spend it.Last year, the scheme helped 25,000 people.At a meeting earlier, the council's executive, which is run by Reform UK, agreed to extend the existing service until September 2026.In the meantime, there will be a public consultation on its future beyond next year.Mr Allison, from Lincoln, said: "The more they can do to help people lose weight, the happier the people are going to be."Healthier people are going to put less pressure on the NHS. There's so many benefits to supporting people to lose weight."He benefited from 12 weeks free at Slimming World and it motivated him to keep focusing on his weight after the council-funded support finished."I just said to myself, 'No matter what happens, I'm sticking at it'… If I feel like I need to give up, I need to remember why I started," he said. "I just had a serious talk with myself."Steve Clegg, the council's executive member for adult care and health, said: "Our ambition is to ensure every pound of taxpayer's money is spent as wisely and cost-effectively as possible."The funding for these services is ring-fenced and has to be used for public health purposes. So, I want to be clear – this is not about cost-cutting, it's about deciding how best to use the available funding to improve the health and wellbeing of people in Lincolnshire."He added: "There are currently no proposals for the long-term future of the service, as we first want to ask the public for their views."We believe it's important that our residents have a real opportunity to help shape our services, so they can best meet their needs."Search for savingsAnalysis by Sharon Edwards, political reporterThe new Reform UK administration swept to power in May's local elections promising to "open the books" and find savings.All non-statutory services are being examined and council properties could be sold off.So it's no surprise that the authority's executive has voted to look at the One You Lincolnshire service.If the executive does eventually decide to scrap the scheme and put the money into what it says are "other areas of public health", it is clear that it will have a fight on its hands.Other parties on the council have come together to criticise such a move as a "false economy".Many argue that the service relieves pressure on the NHS and social services. The former is not paid for by the council, but the latter is.But Reform UK has a mandate to save money and argues that the state cannot afford to do for people what they should do for themselves.Listen to highlights from Lincolnshire on BBC Sounds, watch the latest episode of Look North or tell us about a story you think we should be covering here.Download the BBC News app from the App Store for iPhone and iPad or Google Play for Android devices.Related storiesChance to give feedback on council shake-up planCounty-wide network aims to help mental healthRelated internet linksLincolnshire County CouncilWeight lossObesityLincolnshire County CouncilDiet & nutritionLincoln
