Wakefield residents call for action to put health before profit
Monday, February 09, 2026
Wakefield residents taking part in a Citizens’ Jury have called for stronger action to protect local people’s health and wellbeing. Urging decision makers to put health before corporate profit.
Twenty-one residents from across the district came together to learn about how alcohol, unhealthy food, and tobacco industries influence people’s health. Jurors heard expert evidence and discussed the impacts on families and communities. They looked at the impact marketing and business practices have on the consumption of products that cause preventable illness in the UK.
After weighing up the evidence, Jurors agreed a set of ‘manifestos for change’. These are practical steps they want to see locally and nationally. These include making healthy food more affordable and restricting advertising of alcohol, unhealthy food and vapes.
“This work shows the power of bringing residents together to look closely at the issues that shape our health every day. The Citizens’ Jury has sent a clear message; people want healthier environments, stronger protections from harmful products, and decisions made in the best interests of our communities.”
Cllr Michelle Collins
Cabinet Member for Adults and Health
Residents also strongly felt that health policy decisions should be free from industry influence, with one juror explaining, ‘industries have too much input into policy decisions’.
“Being part of the Jury gave me the chance to sit alongside residents, hear the same evidence, and understand the pressures that shape people’s daily choices. It was clear that communities want healthier, fairer environments and policies that put public wellbeing ahead of commercial interests. Taking part has strengthened my commitment to supporting this work.”
Cllr Duncan Smith
Deputy Cabinet Member for Adults and Health
The Jury’s findings will now be used to support the Council’s work to improve health outcomes.
The Citizens’ Jury was commissioned by the Yorkshire & Humber Association of Directors of Public Health (Y&H ADPH) and delivered in partnership with researchers from the SPECTRUM research consortium, and the NIHR Health Determinants Research Collaborations (HDRCs) in Wakefield and Doncaster.
Read the full report at Yorkshire & Humber Association of Directors of Public Health website.