Your weekly update on London local government. Problems viewing this? Add to safe sender.

Key Issues from London Councils

Your weekly London local government update

30 July 25

Addressing the growing risk of surface water flooding in London

London Councils, along with the Environment Agency, London Fire Brigade, Mayor of London, Thames Water and Transport for London, is a member of the Flood Ready London Partnership.


Formed in response to the storms of July 2021, which caused widespread flooding across London, the partners have joined forces to take action in making the capital more resilient to flooding from surface water.


Their collective efforts resulted in the capital's first Surface Water Strategy that provides practical, cost-effective solutions to manage surface water flooding and help green London.


You can find out more about the strategy and how partners are working together to plan and deliver solutions that reduce surface water flood risk, here.

Heat networks on the agenda

Renewable Power for London recently convened Cabinet Members for climate from across the capital to explore the future of district heating in London.


Joined by UK and Danish experts, Cabinet Members explored the latest heat network policy developments and discussed what it will take to scale up heat networks that are both low-carbon and affordable.

 

Some key themes raised by Cabinet Members during the roundtable included:

 

  • The need to engage with residents effectively, to ensure that their voices are heard and that the benefits of heat networks are communicated clearly.
  • There is a significant skills gap - boroughs called for more London-wide collaboration to support learning and workforce development to speed up heat network roll out.
  • The need to coordinate different departments, such as planning, housing, and highways, to minimise any disruption caused by the development of heat networks.
  • Getting the pricing right to ensure affordability and fairness will be crucial to the success of heat networks.

Case studies in prevention

To celebrate 60 years of the London boroughs, each week, London Councils is sharing prevention case studies highlighting how preventative action by London boroughs is helping to save money and improve the lives of their residents.


This week, our case study is from LB Hillingdon, where the council and the NHS are working in partnership to deliver new technology to improve health outcomes for patients after discharge from hospital.


You can read Hillingdon's case study in full on our LinkedIn page here.

By election result

A by-election took place in LB Bromley’s Bromley Common and Holwood ward last week (24 July). The by-election was won by Alan Cook (Reform UK). You can read the result in full here.

In the news this week...

Is London Being Left Behind? New Report Exposes Flaws in Council Funding Plans

PSE

Councils facing ‘skyrocketing’ service costs, says report

LocalGov

Social workers echo Munro warnings over children’s social care reforms

Community Care

London rents reach new record as tenants pay £700 more per month than five years ago

The Standard

London Local Government 

Directory

You can find contact details for every councillor in London in our London Government Directory here.

Follow our socials 

Comments or queries? Email the editor

London Councils logo

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

| [email protected]

Unsubscribe from this newsletter