New data, published by the National Housing Federation, Crisis and Shelter, has found that acute shortages of social housing suitable for families mean it would now take more than 100 years to clear waiting lists in some places, with London home to 15 of the top 20 most affected areas in the country.

London’s Boroughs are pro-housing growth and committed to working with the government to boost housebuilding. More than 300,000 potential new homes have received planning permission from London boroughs and are waiting to be built.

However, boroughs are also struggling with enormous resource constraints and immense challenges to housing delivery in the capital. Increased and sustained long-term investment in affordable housing is key to building the homes London's communities are crying out for.

The chronic and longstanding shortage of affordable housing is the key factor driving London’s homelessness emergency that requires London boroughs to spend £4m a day on providing temporary housing for the 183,000 Londoners who are currently homeless.

The London Regional Employers’ Organisation, which supports London local authority human resources and organisation development teams to collaborate and share learning and best practice, has launched a new website.

The London Regional Employers’ Organisation provides support to national and regional employers and provides advice to London authorities on local pay and employment practices (the London Agreement). It also promotes good practice which supports improvement and efficiency in public service delivery in London; facilities a number of key HR networks; and provides an HR Metrics benchmarking service to London and regions around the country.

Around 500,000 Freedom Passes expired on 31 March. More than 90% of these passes have now been renewed and users have received their new pass.

Customers who have not yet renewed their expired pass can continue using their existing pass until 1 May as we have arrangements with TfL to accept 2025 expiry passes upon visual inspection.

If you, or someone you know, have moved but not told us, or have not used the pass in the past two years, please ask them to check their email inbox and junk mail as we may have tried to contact them with instructions about how to renew their Freedom Pass using our online portal, which will remain open until 30 May.

If you have not received an email or letter, please contact [email protected] to discuss your next steps.

Two by-elections took place in London boroughs last week (10 April).

The by-election in Haringey’s St Anne’s Ward was won by Ruairidh Paton (Green Party). You can read the result in full here.

The by-election in Sutton’s Sutton Central ward was won by Richard Choi (Liberal Democrat Party). You can read the result in full here.