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Your weekly London local government update

15 May 24

Investment needed to avoid 'bleak future' for social housing

A new report from the cross-party Levelling Up, Housing and Communities (LUHC) Committee ( [link removed] ) has called on the government to invest in the social housing sector to ensure 90,000 new social rent homes a year can be built per year in England and to re-examine how much funding is allocated to social rent homes.

With London grappling with the most severe homelessness crisis in the country, and with more than 320,000 London households already on social housing waiting lists, London Councils has welcomed the MPs' findings and warned that, without more government investment, it is hard to see anything but a "bleak future for social housing".

Following the publication of the LUHC select committee report last week, a London Councils spokesperson said: “Our analysis shows London boroughs face a black hole of £700m in their social housing budgets over the next four years, despite the desperate need to improve housing conditions and build new homes in the capital. With resources massively squeezed, it feels like we’ve been left with mission impossible.

“Social housing is crucial to tackling London’s homelessness crisis. It’s a vital component of the capital’s social and economic success, and we should all want the sector to thrive. Boroughs are as keen as ever to work with ministers in ensuring more resources are secured for boosting social housing in London and across the country.”

Breaking Barriers: Addressing youth unemployment in London 

On Monday, London Councils launched a new report exploring ways London boroughs can break the barriers to addressing youth unemployment in London.

The report was launched at a special event hosted at the High Trees Community Development Trust ( [link removed] ), established by local residents from St. Martins’ Housing estate who campaigned to bring a former public library into community ownership to deliver impactful services focusing on the needs of the local community.

London government has committed to providing good work for the most vulnerable Londoners and to address inequalities through the London Economic Framework ( [link removed] ) and Building a Fairer City ( [link removed] ). However, the fragmented nature of employment services poses significant challenges to meeting the variety of challenges young Londoners face in finding good jobs. The report explores ways to better coordinate provision in London, alongside ambitious proposals to bring about the more fundamental changes required.

The event was chaired by London Councils Executive Member for Skills and Employment Mayor Rokhsana Fiaz OBE, with a panel including Kingston Deputy Leader Cllr Alison Holt and young people who shared their thoughts on employment services and what could be done to help more young people into productive employment to unlock good growth in the capital.

You can read the report: Breaking Barriers: Addressing Youth Unemployment in London here. ( [link removed] )

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Pan-London Grants Programme

London Councils is inviting people and organisations across the capital to respond to a new consultation on the future of the next phase of its Grants Programme.

London boroughs and the City of London Corporation jointly fund the London Councils Grants Programme and decide its priorities. The pan-London scheme enables boroughs to work together and with the voluntary and community sector to fund crucial services.

The consultation is seeking views on a potential 2026-2030 phase of the Grants Programme. It will run until June 4th, after which responses will be reviewed by the members of the Grants Committee and incorporated into their decision-making process.

Councillor Kaya Comer-Schwartz, Chair of London Councils' Grants Committee ( [link removed] ) said: “The Grants Programme is a source of pride for London’s local Leaders, funding vital services for people who need specialist support and tackling some of the most pressing issues across London. The current programme is already making a difference for people who are homeless or those at risk from or who have been subjected to sexual and domestic abuse.

“The potential next cycle of the pan-London Grants Programme is due to start in April 2026 and we are keen to ensure that our planning takes proper account of the current and emerging needs of London’s residents, as well as the context local government is working in.

“This consultation will be vital in learning from and developing our relationship with partners in the voluntary and community sector. We look forward to working collaboratively and listening to feedback to ensure the Grants Programme adds value where Londoners need it most.”

The consultation survey and further details can be found on London Councils' website here. ( [link removed] )

Promoting London's investment opportunities at UKREiiF

The UK Real Estate and Infrastructure showcase UKREiiF will take place in Leeds next week. London Councils Chair Cllr Georgia Gould be will attending to highlight the investment opportunities in London and discuss how we can ensure London attracts the investment needed to ensure good growth in the capital that meets the needs of our communities.

Cllr Gould will be speaking at events exploring Responsible Leadership – Tackling Resistance to Net Zero and Beyond; and How Local Authorities, Investors and Developers can work together to increase the delivery of mixed tenure homes and deliver thriving communities.

Opportunity London ( [link removed] ) -  a  partnership between the City of London, London Councils, the Mayor of London and a consortium of public and private sector industry partners - will also once again partner with Manchester at UKREiiF, jointly taking over the venue space ‘The Canary,’ by the main Armouries Centre. Boroughs are welcome to use the first floor of this venue for networking and meetings.

A number of boroughs and subregional partnership will be hosting events at UKREiiF, including:

The West London Alliance ( [link removed] ) boroughs of Brent, Barnet, Ealing, Harrow, Hillingdon and Hounslow, and representatives from the Old Oak and Park Royal Development, have a series of 'meet the borough' events at their stall in the conference centre.

Central London Forward ( [link removed] )  - the sub-regional partnership covering the local authorities of Camden, the City of London, Hackney, Haringey, Islington, Kensington and Chelsea, Lambeth, Lewisham, Southwark, Tower Hamlets, Wandsworth and Westminster - will be hosting an event as part of the ‘Back the Bakerloo’ ( [link removed] ) campaign. Directly Elected Mayor of Lewisham, Brenda Dacres and Cllr Helen Dennis, Cabinet Member for New Homes and Sustainable Development, Southwark Council will both be speaking at the event.

Full details for the above and other events taking place at UKREiiF can be found here. ( [link removed] )

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In the news this week...

Government investment vital to tackling housing shortage
Public Sector Exceutive ( [link removed] )

Experts respond to new Levelling Up Committee report
New Start Magazine ( [link removed] )

Four in 10 council homes sold under right to buy owned by private landlords
LocalGov ( [link removed] )

Leave affordable rent to private sector and free up grant funding for social housing, MPs recommend
Inside Housing ( [link removed] )

London Councils’ grant consultation
Public Sector Executive ( [link removed] )

Call to fix ‘incomplete patchwork’ of devolution deals
LocalGov ( [link removed] )

Devolution: Should London have power to raise its own taxes?
City AM ( [link removed] )

Centre launched to fend off council cyber attacks
The MJ ( [link removed] )

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What topics are you interested in? Click here to let us know ( [link removed] )

The London Office of Technology and Innovation (LOTI) will be hosting  a 'Lunch and learn' session for borough colleagues on  29 May exploring how to use practical tools and techniques for planning and navigating social impact work with lots of uncertainty. The session will be presented by Suraj Vadgama, who leads the Design & Technology practice at the innovation agency for social good, Nesta. Members and borough employees can register for the event here ( [link removed] )

A Low Carbon Development Toolkit ( [link removed] ), developed in collaboration with Hackney as part of our Climate Programme ( [link removed] ), has been shortlisted for the Planning Awards 2024. ( [link removed] )

The toolkit, designed to help borough planning teams in achieving better low carbon outcomes across the built environment, has been nominated in the category: 'Planning to address climate change’. 

Appointments

LB Hackney is set to appoint current Interim Chief Executive  Dawn Carter-McDonald as Chief Executive on a permanent basis, subject to agreement at the next full council meeting.

Prior to taking on the role of Interim Chief Executive, Dawn was the Council's Director of Legal, Democratic and Electoral Services and Monitoring Officer from 2019, and a member of the corporate leadership team at Hackney Council from 2020.

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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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