Oxfordshire councils find themselves on the horns of a moral dilemma.

The councils, particularly the county council, have been at the forefront of promoting public health and the increasing drive to stop people smoking.

But some will say this work has been undermined by the news that the pensions pot invests heavily in tobacco firms.

In short, they want us to quit the habit, but are quite prepared to profit from those selling cigarettes.

And it leaves taxpayers asking the question: why should we fund work to reduce smoking and at the same time have our money invested in the firms that sell tobacco?

The dilemma facing councils is, in this case, the duty to public health conflicts with a duty to provide pensions for thousands of staff.

Pension pots have struggled in turbulent economic times and the reform of public pension deals have been the subject of heated debate.

The councils arguement is they must seek the best return on investment and they have ruled that tobacco firms, as part of a wider portfolio, represent that.

The bottom line is this investment must not be allowed to affect the credibility of public health work that councils are leading.

The authorities must ask themselves serious questions about whether they can live with the contradiction, and should involve the staff who will ultimately be affected by decisions on pensions investment and the taxpayers who are ultimately funding them.