The Prime Minister yesterday made a statement to the House of Commons on the government’s plans for health and social care.

Responding to the Prime Minister’s statement, Cllr Danny Thorpe, London Councils’ Executive Member for Health & Care, said: “Adult social care reform has languished on the ‘too difficult’ pile for many years, so we’re pleased to see this key policy challenge reach the top of the government’s agenda.

“We certainly welcome the announcement of extra investment, the focus on affordability concerns, and the commitment to integrate health and social care provision. However, the Prime Minister did not unveil a wholesale solution to the social care crisis and there remain considerable uncertainties.

“For example, social care faces massive and immediate financial pressures, but the majority of the new funding announced today will go to the NHS and it’s not yet clear what support will come to councils for social care services.

“Boroughs will continue urging the government to ensure social care services receive the resources they need to invest in the workforce and to meet residents’ needs. The government must use the upcoming Spending Review to build on today’s announcement and put social care on a stable financial footing for the years ahead.”

While London has a generally younger population than the rest of the country, the number of Londoners aged 65 and older is expected to increase by 71 per cent by 2039 – a faster rate than any other region in England. In the same time period, the number of Londoners aged 90 and older is set to grow by 156 per cent.

Challenges brought about by the Covid-19 pandemic have increased the numbers of people in the capital in need of specialist support. Many Londoners experienced homelessness for the first time as employment terms changed or ended and while the ‘Everyone In’ scheme helped shelter many rough sleepers, it emphasised how many people still have housing needs. Alongside this, there was a significant increase in demand for domestic abuse victim services during the pandemic.

Third sector organisations supporting Londoners facing sexual and domestic abuse and homelessness are being encouraged to apply for London Councils’ new four-year grants programme.

The new grants programme, which will run from 2022 to 2026, is funded by London’s boroughs and will provide support to London’s most vulnerable residents.

Details on how organisations can apply for the new programme can be found here. Please note that the deadline for applications to the new programme is noon this Friday (10 September 2021).

London Councils' Executive met yesterday (Tuesday 7 September). Items on the agenda included: Spending Review (including London Councils' priorities for its representation to government); Economic Recovery Framework (including an update an update on activities and progress around the jobs pillar of London’s economic recovery framework); and Climate Change advocacy. You can read the full agenda and accompanying papers here.

While Leaders' Committee sets the strategic direction for London Councils, the 12-member cross-party Executive guides the organisation’s day-to-day work.

Later today, Vice Chair of London Councils' Environment and Transport Committee, Cllr Claire Holland, will be giving evidence to an oral session of the Environmental Audit Committee looking at how local authorities are equipped to reach net zero.

London Councils has previously raised concerns that central government has not set clear expectations around the role of local government and net zero.

And while we welcome the creation of the UK Infrastructure Bank (UKIB), the capital available to the UKIB is unlikely to be great enough to meet the decarbonisation challenge. In London we estimate that just retrofitting all housing tenures to net zero will cost £98 billion.

You can more about the work of London Councils and member boroughs to tackle climate change here.

Southwark chief executive Eleanor Kelly this week announced that she plans to retire in early 2022.

She joined Southwark Council in September 2006 as interim deputy chief executive and was permanently appointed to that role in 2008. She was appointed to the role of  interim Chief Executive in 2011, and became the borough's permanent chief executive in 2012.

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