New data published by London Councils shows London’s boroughs increased local welfare assistance for residents by 368 per cent in response to the financial hardship caused by the Covid-19 pandemic.

Highlighting the spike in demand for welfare support, London Councils has warned that pressures are likely to worsen for many Londoners in the coming months. London’s unemployment rate of 6 per cent is the highest of any UK region, the furlough scheme is ending on 30 September, and the universal credit uplift is set to end in October.

London Councils’ Executive Member for Welfare, Empowerment and Inclusion, Cllr Muhammed Butt, said: “Since the start of the Covid-19 pandemic we’ve seen a dramatic spike in Londoners approaching their local borough for help. Many of these residents have lost jobs and are at severe risk of spiralling debt and homelessness.

“Councils play an important role in propping up the welfare safety net, but there’s only so much we can do with the limited resources the government provides us. Ministers should use the Spending Review to restore funding for local welfare assistance and boost boroughs’ ability to support those in need.”

The Kerslake Commission on Homelessness and Rough Sleeping published its final report: A new way of working: ending rough sleeping together last week. Commenting on its findings, London Councils’ Executive Member for Housing & Planning – and a member of the Kerslake Commission – Cllr Darren Rodwell, said: “This report sets out clearly, comprehensively, and constructively the action required to end rough sleeping altogether. London is at the epicentre of this crisis. We face the highest rates of rough sleeping and homelessness in the country and boroughs are determined to do everything we can to address this.

“The success of the Everyone In initiative showed how quickly change can happen thanks to effective partnerships and adequate government funding. Now we need longer-term commitments from the government to boost local services and empower us to achieve our shared ambitions.”

London Councils, TfL and Camden Council this week announced an expansion of the capital's trial of rental e-scooters, with e-scooters available to rent in Camden from Monday 27 September.

Camden becomes the tenth London council to join the trial alongside Ealing, Hammersmith & Fulham, Kensington & Chelsea, Richmond, Tower Hamlets (including Canary Wharf), City of London, Lambeth, Southwark and Westminster.

London Councils hosted an event at  the

Labour conference in Brighton on Monday (27 September), on  ‘London and the ‘Levelling Up’ Agenda’. The panel, chaired by Camden Council Leader Cllr Georgia Gould, also included New Economics Foundation chief executive Miatta Fahnbulleh; Newham Mayor Rokhsana Fiaz; Mayor of London Sadiq Khan; Newcastle City Council Leader Cllr Nick Forbes and Rt Hon David Lammy MP.

Our event at the Conservative conference (Manchester) will take place on 5 October when Kensington and Chelsea Council Leader Cllr Elizabeth Campbell will be joined by Professor Tony Travers and Minister for London, Paul Scully. The event will discuss the topic: ‘Levelling up London: The key to the UK’s recovery?’

London local government was well represented among the winners at this year's MJ awards. Congratulations to all the winners, including: London Borough of Bromley, winners in the Care and Health Integration category; Royal Borough of Kingston Upon Thames for their Senior Management Team of the Year award; and the West London Alliance for taking top spot in the Transforming Lives category.

A number of others were singled out by the judges for commendations, including Sarah Durner, London Borough of Hillingdon (Community Heroes); London Borough of Ealing/West London Alliance/North West London NHS (Innovation in Building Diversity); London Borough of Hounslow (Leadership in responding to the climate emergency); London Borough of Lewisham (Transforming Lives); and London Borough of Hounslow (Embedding new values and behaviours).

Complete list of winners available here

A by-election took place in the Wormholt and White City ward in Hammersmith and Fulham last week (Thursday 23 September). The by-election was won by Labour candidate Frances Umeh. You can read the full result here.

La'Jay Taylor, an apprentice with the LB Croydon, has been named as Apprentice of the Year 2021. La’Jay has worked with a number of teams within the council’s Children, Families and Education department and has proved to be an invaluable asset, in particular in bringing more young people’s voices to the fore and successfully building sound relationships with children in care and care leavers.

London Councils’ Executive Member for Skills and Employment, Cllr Nesil Caliskan,  said: “London Councils is incredibly proud to celebrate the talented winners of this year’s London Borough Apprenticeship Awards. This year marks 11 years since the Awards were first held to celebrate the outstanding achievements of apprentices working for London boroughs and their supply chains.

“The strength of community spirit shines in this year’s winners, who have excelled in supporting and improving their services and giving back to London’s communities during such a difficult year. Both winners and nominees are a powerful example of what local government can do to empower the communities they serve.

You can find details of the winners in all of this year's categories on our website here.