Partners across London have joined forces to take action in making the capital more resilient to flooding from surface water, publishing the first London Surface Water Strategy on Wednesday.

The London Surface Water Strategy is published by the Flood Ready London partnership, made up of Environment Agency, London Councils, London Fire Brigade, Mayor of London, Thames Water, and Transport for London.

Flood Ready London is also working to find the best, most practical and cost-effective ways to help Londoners be prepared for flooding. Developed through a series of consultations with boroughs, environmental organisations, and community groups, the solutions proposed rely on collective, pan-London working.

Cllr Kieron Williams, London Councils' Executive Member for Transport and Environment, said: "Boroughs play a vital role in protecting our city from the very real threat of flooding. We know the devastating, long-lasting impact it can have on people's homes, businesses and livelihoods, disproportionately affecting our most vulnerable communities.

"Through Flood Ready London, we will work with partners to take a coordinated and collaborative approach to surface water management that helps protect our city and better prepare our communities for when flooding does occur. This will build on the extensive work boroughs already do to prevent flooding across the capital - from installing rain gardens and other sustainable drainage solutions, to working with local communities to raise awareness of flood risk."

You can read London's Surface Water Strategy here.

Boroughs in the capital must reduce their spending on council housing by £264m to avoid busting their budgets over the next three years, a new report from London Councils reveals.

Boroughs fear the collapse of their council housing finances unless the government takes action to stabilise the social housing sector.

Ahead of the government confirming future social rent levels, London Councils’ analysis shows boroughs’ costs of managing their council housing have spiralled while income has failed to keep pace, after many years of national policy limiting social rent increases below inflation.

The report – Crunch point for London council housing finances – warns that boroughs are “not in a position to maintain spending in real terms” on their council housing stock, despite the “urgent need for investment” in priorities such as improving housing conditions and building new homes.

Cllr Grace Williams, London Councils’ Executive Member for Housing & Regeneration, said: “We have reached crunch point for London’s council housing finances.

“Boroughs play an essential role in modernising older properties and building the new affordable homes Londoners are crying out for. A better future for London’s council housing is possible but it requires national policy decisions that give us secure and sustainable finances. We remain committed to working with the government on our shared ambitions for council housing.”

On Thursday 15 May, Ezra Cohen (LAB) was elected as Councillor for the Whetstone Ward of the London Borough of Barnet.

Read the full results.