London Councils has welcomed the new relaxation of restrictions on how local authorities use the money raised through Right to Buy sales.

The government has told councils they can retain 100% of Right to Buy receipts for 2022/23 and 2023/24. This marks a change from the previous rules on how local authorities could use the sales receipts, which saw much of the money returned to the Treasury rather than being available for building or buying replacement homes for homeless people in the community. The government has also declared a two-year freeze on capping the number of existing homes councils can purchase using Right to Buy receipts.

London Councils’ Executive Member for Regeneration, Housing & Planning, Cllr Darren Rodwell, said: “These new flexibilities will provide a shot in the arm for boroughs’ housing ambitions.  We’ve long called for an end to all restrictions on how boroughs can use Right to Buy sales receipts. It is crucial that every penny raised from council house sales is available locally for replacing those homes.

“In the face of London’s worsening homelessness crisis, boroughs urgently need more resources for securing the affordable housing our communities are crying out for. The capital’s housing pressures are the most severe in the country. This intervention is welcome, but we will continue to work with ministers to ensure boroughs get the long-term policy and funding support required for ending the homelessness crisis altogether."

The Department for Energy Security and Net Zero last week published Powering Up Britain, setting out the government's policy plans to enhance energy security and deliver on our net zero commitments.

Responding to the plans, London Councils Executive Member for Climate Change, Transport and Environment Mayor Philip Glanville, said: “While it is positive to see that the ‘Powering Up Britain’ strategy recognises the key role that local government is already playing in the national shared mission to reach net zero, including our ability to unlock private investment, it is crucial local government is recognised as a vital strategic partner to allow us to do more.

“London boroughs have long been calling for simplification of the net zero funding landscape, a key recommendation in Chris Skidmore’s Net Zero Review. We welcome the desire to address this barrier in today’s response and stand ready to work with government to collaborate on an effective way to fund local net zero action at a fast pace. Local authorities also need a step change in the certainty and amount of funding that is available to speed up local net zero action.

“Climate change is happening now and the impact is being felt by Londoners. Action to tackle it must be accelerated if we want to achieve our net zero goals, not just for some, but for all of London’s diverse communities.”

London Councils' Digital Champion Mayor Philip Glanville and London Office of Technology and Innovation (LOTI) Director Eddie Copeland met with Minister for Tech and Digital Economy, and Minister for London, Paul Scully MP last week to discuss how boroughs are using innovation, data and technology for the benefit of their communities.

The meeting was an opportunity to explore with government how we can use data and tech to improve London's public services and tackle some of London's most pressing challenges. You can read more about LOTI and its current projects here.

More than 150 councillors of all parties who were elected in the May 2022 borough elections gathered at the Guildhall Art Gallery last week to meet each other and London Councils Chair Cllr Georgia Gould, Vice Chair Chris Hayward and London Mayor Sadiq Khan.

There was a by election in the Heath ward, Barking & Dagenham, last week (30 March). The by election was won by Harriet Spoor (Labour). You can read the result in full here.