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Your weekly update of London local government issues

13 Mar 24

London Elects

We will be pausing Key Issues in the pre-election period ahead of the upcoming London Mayoral and Assembly elections on Thursday 2 May. Your next Key Issues will be in your inbox on Wednesday 8 May. 

Following the passing of the Elections Act, London Elects is reminding Londoners of some important changes to the way they will vote, including the need to show photo ID at polling stations and a change from supplementary voting (indicating a first and second preference) to 'first past the post' in Mayoral elections. ( [link removed] )You can read more on the London Elects website here. ( [link removed] ) ( [link removed] )

Right to Buy rule change 

London Councils has expressed “extreme concern” at the government’s decision to stop letting local authorities keep all money raised from council house sales, warning that it will undermine efforts to deliver desperately needed replacement homes. ( [link removed] )

On Monday the government confirmed that its policy of allowing councils to retain 100% of Right to Buy sales receipts will not be extended beyond this month into the 2024-25 financial year. This means potentially 20-25% of the funds generated from a council home sold under Right to Buy will instead go to the Treasury.

Following the announcement, London Councils’ Executive Member for Regeneration, Housing & Planning, Cllr Darren Rodwell, said: “With London’s homelessness crisis worsening and boroughs’ temporary accommodation costs posing a critical risk to their financial stability, it’s more important than ever to invest in new social housing.

“In the capital we have over 300,000 Londoners on waiting lists for a social home, but we’re also struggling with immense pressures on boroughs’ social housing budgets and viability challenges making housebuilding increasingly difficult.

“We’re therefore extremely concerned that the government will stop letting councils keep 100% of the money raised through Right to Buy sales. This will undermine boroughs’ resources for delivering desperately needed social housing and replacing stock lost through Right to Buy. The government should be doing everything it can to boost boroughs’ ability to invest in new social homes – but instead we could see our funding reduced.”  

Spring Budget

Parliamentarians have been debating the Spring Budget announced by the Chancellor last week. To help inform those debates London Councils briefed MPs and Peers on the main issues from the London local government perspective.

Boroughs are particularly concerned by the Budget’s lack of action on homelessness. London faces the most severe homelessness pressures in the country. One in 50 Londoners is currently homeless, with boroughs collectively spending £90m each month on temporary accommodation

While the outlook for borough finances remains challenging, London Councils welcomes the extension of the Household Support Fund at existing levels. The fund was due to end this month and its continuation was a top priority for London Councils, due to ongoing cost-of-living pressures. However, the decision to extend the fund for only six months will reduce support for vulnerable Londoners just as winter approaches.

( [link removed] )You can read our briefing in full here. ( [link removed] ) ( [link removed] )

Survey finds dramatic spike in refugees sleeping rough in London

Hundreds of refugees are sleeping rough in the capital after leaving Home Office hotels, according to new research from London Councils.

A survey organised by London Councils found 311 refugees were forced to sleep rough after eviction from Home Office accommodation in January 2024 - an increase of 234% compared to September 2023, when London Councils began its survey work.

In total, 1,087 refugees approached London homelessness services for help in January following Home Office evictions, a rise of 78% in the four months since September. This includes those rough sleeping but also those who were ‘hidden homeless’ – for example, sleeping on the floor of someone still accommodated in a Home Office hotel, or in a church, or elsewhere off the streets.

London Councils’ lead for asylum and refugees, Cllr Grace Williams, said: “The dramatic spike in refugees rough sleeping in the capital is deeply alarming.

“London is already grappling with a severe homelessness crisis. Rough sleeping among refugees puts extra pressure on already-stretched local services, but much more could be done to prevent it occurring in the first place. We are urging the government to listen to boroughs’ concerns and work with us in tackling this challenge.”

Among its policy priorities for preventing rough sleeping and homelessness, London Councils is calling on the government to commit to a 56-day ‘move-on period’ for refugees and asylum-seekers leaving Home Office accommodation, so local authorities have more time to assist with housing arrangements and reduce the risk of homelessness.

Opportunity London Prospectus 

Last week saw the launch of the first Opportunity London Prospectus ( [link removed] ) promoting nine capital projects with £9.6 billion of investible opportunities across inner and outer London.

London Councils is a founding member of Opportunity London, a public-private partnership aimed at driving capital investment in new homes, net zero infrastructure and economic growth.

London Councils Deputy Chair Cllr Claire Holland and Vice Chair Chris Hayward spoke at the launch, with Trade and Investment Minister Lord Johnson and Deputy Mayor for Business Howard Dawber.

Open Innovation event

The ( [link removed] )London Office of Technology and Innovation ( [link removed] ) ( [link removed] ) (LOTI) will host a Lunch & Learn session on 18 March (12-1pm) for colleagues to learn more about open innovation and how it can support the delivery of outcomes in your organisation.

Rikesh Shah, the Head of IPEC and former Head of Innovation at Transport for London, will provide a series of practical case studies and thoughts on how innovation can be embedded into organisations and create new value.

( [link removed] )If you are interested in joining the online session you can join the guestlist here. ( [link removed] ) ( [link removed] )

London boroughs of culture

Congratulations to the London boroughs of ( [link removed] )Wandsworth ( [link removed] ) ( [link removed] ) and ( [link removed] )Haringey ( [link removed] ) ( [link removed] ) who have this week been announced as London Boroughs of Culture for 2025 and 2027 respectively. Each will receive £1.35 million in funding from City Hall to support a year of cultural activities

Three other boroughs – Barnet ( [link removed] ), ( [link removed] )Merton ( [link removed] ) ( [link removed] ) and ( [link removed] )Greenwich ( [link removed] ) ( [link removed] ) - were named as the Mayor’s Cultural Impact Award winners and will receive up to £200,000 to deliver cultural projects.

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Media round-up...

Government’s head in the sand approach to homelessness is not working
( [link removed] )LGC ( [link removed] ) ( [link removed] )

Boroughs concerned by decision on Right to Buy rules and emphasise ‘desperate need’ for replacement homes
( [link removed] )London Daily News ( [link removed] ) ( [link removed] )

London collaborates to support care leavers
( [link removed] )Public Sector Executive ( [link removed] ) ( [link removed] )

London's plunging pupil headcount laid bare
( [link removed] )Mail on Sunday ( [link removed] ) ( [link removed] )

Budget: Frustration over adult social care, climate and homelessness omissions
( [link removed] )LGC ( [link removed] ) ( [link removed] )

Sector responds to Spring Budget
( [link removed] )LABM ( [link removed] ) ( [link removed] )

Comment: 'London's social housing crisis is about to enter a death spiral'
( [link removed] )Evening Standard ( [link removed] ) ( [link removed] )

Opportunity London musters for MIPIM choir offensive
( [link removed] )OnLondon ( [link removed] ) ( [link removed] )

‘Total, radical shift’ in housing provision required, says keynote Jackie Sadek
( [link removed] )Housing 151 ( [link removed] ) ( [link removed] )

London’s care leaver offer to provide housing, healthcare and travel support
( [link removed] )CYP Now ( [link removed] ) ( [link removed] )

Deprivation of Liberty backlog 'may never be eradicated'
( [link removed] )The MJ ( [link removed] ) ( [link removed] )

Wandsworth named London Borough of Culture from April 2025
( [link removed] )BBC News ( [link removed] ) ( [link removed] )

Useful resources

Help with cost of living ( [link removed] )

Disasters Emergency Committee ( [link removed] )

Freedom Pass ( [link removed] )

Taxicard ( [link removed] )

Parking Services ( [link removed] )

About London Councils ( [link removed] )

11-17 March is ( [link removed] )London Repair Week ( [link removed] ) ( [link removed] ), an annual celebration of repair throughout the capital where Londoners are invited to gain repair skills and help save some money and the planet while they are at it. With numerous workshops happening around the city, spotlights on our #LocalRepairHeroes and a bunch of tips and tricks to help you repair your stuff, Repair Week is designed to give you the confidence to get repairing.

If you've recently had a broken electrical device (whether that's a smartphone or a toaster) we'd love to hear your experience (whether you decided to repair the item or not). The survey will inform work to improve repairs services across London.

( [link removed] )Take the survey now ( [link removed] ) ( [link removed] )

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Thank you to everyone who has completed our quick questionnaire on Key Issues and what you'd like it to cover. We'll be closing the survey next week so if you haven't done so yet, ( [link removed] )please do let us know what you think by completing our very quick reader survey here. ( [link removed] ) ( [link removed] )

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Comments or queries? Email the editor ( [email protected]?subject=Key%20Issues%3A )

visit londoncouncils.gov.uk ( [link removed] )

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London Councils is the collective of local government in London, the 32 boroughs and the City of London.We also run pan-London services like Freedom Pass and Taxicard. 59½ Southwark Street, London SE1 0AL | [email protected] ( [email protected] )

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