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Your weekly London local government update

25 Sep 24

Asylum and resettlement services

Earlier this year London Councils, in partnership with LB Newham, surveyed London Boroughs to explore what they are doing to support refugees and those seeking asylum to build new lives in the capital.

The survey captures how boroughs structure and organise their asylum and resettlement teams, which directorate they sit within and the variance in team size. It also looks at which resettlement schemes boroughs support and how many are supporting asylum seekers in hotels and dispersed accommodation.

It also considers the importance of government funding in the sustainability and continuity of our support and welcome offer. Significantly, it found that 80% of boroughs said it would be either unlikely or not at all possible that they would continue to provide their service if there was to be no further government funding.

Find out more about this survey, its key findings, and best practice examples for delivery of refugee and asylum services in London in the report  here ( [link removed] )

Conference events 

London Councils hosted a fascinating panel discussion at the Labour Party Conference ( [link removed] ) ( [link removed] ) in Liverpool yesterday, when a panel led by London Councils Chair Cllr Claire Holland - and including Deputy Mayor for Business and Growth Howard Dawber; Rachel Blake MP for Cities of London and Westminster; Dan Tomlinson MP for Chipping Barnet; Jack Shaw Senior Advisor, Labour Together and London Councils Strategy Director (London’s Future) Piali Das Gupta - explored How a new devolution deal for the capital could drive growth in London and across the UK.

The ( [link removed] )Conservative Party Conference ( [link removed] ) will take place in Birmingham, from 29 September – 2 October.

Our event, on Tuesday 1 October, (12.00-13.15pm, Hall 10B, Total Politics Zone, ICC Birmingham) will discuss: The right homes in the right places: A Conservative vision for London’s future housing. Our panel will include:

Jonathan Werran, Chief Executive, Localis (Chair)
Cllr Elizabeth Campbell, Vice Chair of London Councils
Lord Bailey of Paddington AM, London-Wide Assembly Member

Samuel Hughes, Head of Housing, Centre for Policy Studies

Two new borough leaders

Two London boroughs elected new Leaders last week.

In the London Borough of Enfield, Cllr Ergin Erbri ( [link removed] )l was elected Leader at a full council meeting (18 September). Cllr Erbril replaces former leader Cllr Nesil Caliskan ( [link removed] ) who stepped down as Leader following her election as MP for Barking in the General Election. (Cllr Caliskan will remain a councillor in the Jubilee ward).

In the London Borough of Barking and Dagenham, Cllr Dominic Twomey ( [link removed] ) was elected Leader at a full council meeting (18 September). Cllr Twomey replaces former Leader Cllr Darren Rodwell ( [link removed] ), who announced his decision to stand down earlier this year. A by-election will take place in Cllr Rodwell's Northbury ward in due course.

By-election results 

Two by-elections took place in the City of Westminster last week (19 September). The by-election in the borough's Harrow Road ward was won by Regan Hook (Lab), the by-election in the West End ward was won by Tim Barnes (Con).

You can read full results for both by-elections on the City of Westminster website here. ( [link removed] )

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In the news this week...

McMahon: ‘money must go to the right places’
LGC ( [link removed] )

Pennycook meets sector after £644m cash call
The MJ ( [link removed] )

Local authorities handle 38% increase in health-related benefit claims in four years
Room 151 ( [link removed] )

City of London Police seize more illegal e-bikes than any other force with one modified to hit 70mph
Evening Standard ( [link removed] )

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London Local Government 
Directory

You can find contact details for every councillor in London in our London Government Directory here ( [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. 
London Councils, 4th Floor, 12 Arthur Street, London, EC4R 9AB

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