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

London Councils hosted a fascinating panel discussion at the Labour Party Conference 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 Conservative Party Conference 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 London boroughs elected new Leaders last week.

In the London Borough of Enfield, Cllr Ergin Erbril was elected Leader at a full council meeting (18 September). Cllr Erbril replaces former leader Cllr Nesil Caliskan 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 was elected Leader at a full council meeting (18 September). Cllr Twomey replaces former Leader Cllr Darren Rodwell, 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.

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.