Services to help people lose weight and stop smoking will be axed as part of a £2 million cut to public health services in the county.

Funding contributions from the service to Shrewsbury’s CCTV system will also stop under the project, but work is already starting to see what can be done to offset the cuts.

Shropshire Council’s Health and Wellbeing Board was told at a meeting on Thursday that “difficult decisions” and “challenging conversations” would have to take place on how to plug the gap on axed services.

It plans to stop the Help2Slim and Help2Quit services, but money will be found to help keep funding stopping smoking in pregnancy services.

Rachel Robinson, the council’s new director of public health, told the board: “This is a tough time and difficult decisions will need to be take.

“Challenging conversations will take place and it is now time for us to look at how we can run things more efficiently and support services better.”

Andy Begley, director of adult social care, added: “The gap in Government funding for social care, combined with reductions in the Public Health grant, is putting severe financial pressure on Shropshire Council and limiting its ability to fund non-mandatory services.

“The revenue and capital budget 2019/20 approved by council sets out the requirement to deliver savings of £2m through the recommissioning of services across adults, children’s and public health directorates.

“As a consequence, there is a need for the council to achieve efficiency savings through improved integration of the public health function across the council, decommission some non-mandated services and a see reduction in staffing.

“The ambition is that there will be improved integration of public health across health and social care in Shropshire and that this model will be co-designed with partners.

“In order to achieve the required savings, public health will no longer exist as a separate directorate within Shropshire Council but will be integrated to form an adults, housing and health directorate.

“There will be a particular focus on improving integration across health and social care and making better use of health and social care intelligence and evidence to drive prevention.”

Mr Begley said discussions will also take place over the future of Shrewsbury’s CCTV.

“We make a contribution to that which will no longer happen,” he said.

“That is not a reflection on the service at all and discussions are on-going with the council, police and other partners on how it can be funded.”