London Councils

⚠️ London is the most affected region for surface water flooding ⚠️   New data released by the Environment Agency last week revealed that 4.6 million homes and businesses are at risk of surface flooding across the UK, with London the most affected region.   Surface water flooding (also known as flash flooding) occurs when heavy rain falls on hard surfaces and overwhelms drainage systems and sewers. This kind of flooding is becoming more frequent due to our changing climate and this data is the latest in a series of warnings showing that we are poorly prepared to deal with the challenges.   In order to address the issue, London requires a co-ordinated effort, bringing together government, organisations and communities to protect our most vulnerable places and residents.   London Councils has been a key partner on the London Surface Water Strategy, promoting a bold vision for London's management of surface water. The Strategy will deliver the step-change our city needs to achieve resilience and sustainability, as well as protection for our most vulnerable. You can read the interim report here: https://lnkd.in/ew8WnKiV

The #DevoWhitePaper is out. Lots for the London Boroughs to work on….not least working with Greater London Authority and Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government on how an integrated settlement for London might work. Come and join the London Councils team to ensure the next phase of our devolution works for London and Londoners.

Following the provisional Local Government Finance Settlement published today, we warn that London boroughs' finances will be "stuck in survival mode" next year. While welcoming the additional investment in frontline services and steps being taken to reform the broken local government funding system, we anticipate boroughs will still be left with a £500m funding shortfall amid immense service pressures and spiralling costs. The increase to Homelessness Prevention Grant funding is a "step in the right direction". However, the government has also announced that at least 49% of the Homelessness Prevention Grant must now be spent on homelessness prevention. While London boroughs support a greater focus on prevention, they rely on Homelessness Prevention Grant to help cover their temporary accommodation costs. As our Chair Cllr Claire Holland says: "After fourteen years of structural underfunding, spiralling costs, and fast-rising demand for services from residents in need, the strain on borough budgets is enormous. "We welcome the additional support being provided by the government and the increase to homelessness funding is a step in the right direction. However, we are concerned about resources for temporary accommodation being squeezed, and this is a key funding pressure in the capital. Overall, boroughs are still grappling with significant shortfalls, making it harder to protect local services. “The government has rightly committed to reforming the broken council funding system. We will continue to work with ministers on restoring stability to borough finances and ensuring next year’s Spending Review brings the long-term investment we need. This is crucial so that boroughs can keep delivering local services for Londoners, putting prevention at the heart of our work, and driving inclusive growth across the capital.” Read our full statement here: https://lnkd.in/eHytCvc6 #localgov #homelessness #housingcrisis #councilfunding

London Councils is delighted to announce that it has appointed Living Places and 3Ci (Cities Commission for Climate Investment) to design a London-wide programme to test and develop the Net Zero Neighbourhood approach to local decarbonisation in London. The Net Zero Neighbourhood model integrates local Net Zero projects into attractive investment propositions, creating scale and long-term certainty for investors by joining up the different types of assets that are important to decarbonisation. This new appointment forms part of London Councils' Climate Programme, under the workstream on models for financing and delivering climate infrastructure, led by the London Borough of Hounslow, with support from the GLA and the Green Finance Institute. The project will develop a business case to underpin the evolution of the London Net Zero Neighbourhoods cohort, which will ultimately support each place to secure investment. The programme that London boroughs will create with support from this project will advance understanding of how to design and fund local decarbonisation projects collectively, in a variety of locations and circumstances, providing the blueprint for scaling up across the city. This is a really exciting opportunity to develop a cooperative model for Local Government to work together to scale up climate change response while delivering better outcomes for citizens. Living Places 3Ci (Cities Commission for Climate Investment) Kate Hand Ravina Singh Alice Addison Jem McKenna-Percy Zahrah Ali Matt Thomas Dr. Austin Entonu, MBE, MBA, FACCA, PRINCE2 and CFA Patrick Allcorn Olivia Blunn Steven Wilding Farah Vallooran Alex Rathmell

We welcome the government's #PowerAndPartnership white paper on English Devolution and its commitment to devolving more powers and funding to the capital. Boroughs believe this is a golden opportunity to update London's devolution deal and to build on existing collaboration with the Mayor of London. With London’s devolution settlement turning a quarter-century old next year, a new devolution settlement is vital for boosting economic growth in the capital and enabling it to compete as a global city. Read our full statement here: https://lnkd.in/ekEPRqh5

We are delighted to announce our new Dynamic Purchasing System is live! The DPS has been developed in partnership with procurement specialist Proactis, to make it easier for suppliers to bid for contracts and for local authorities to manage their purchasing needs. Its first iteration will streamline the procurement of electric vehicle (EV) infrastructure and maintenance, providing support to boroughs to provide EV charge points that residents, businesses and visitors need. London is currently leading the nation in EV infrastructure, with over 20,000 public charge points available to Londoners and those visiting the capital. The DPS will run for a four-year period and is available to all councils and public sector organisations, including those outside the capital. For more information, including how to apply➡️ https://lnkd.in/eXVbEcpn

The launch of the new National Planning Policy Framework is an “important part of the jigsaw” for increasing housebuilding and delivering much-needed new homes and jobs in the capital. There is strong support among boroughs for planning reforms enabling councils to take local decisions about housebuilding on the ‘grey belt’, given the acute shortage of land for development of new homes and workspaces in London and the wider south east. As Cllr Peter Mason, our Executive Member for Planning & Skills, says: "Boroughs are strongly in favour of housebuilding and growing London’s economy, and we welcome the clear direction being set by the government through the new National Planning Policy Framework. “Planning reform is an important part of the jigsaw, but housebuilding in London faces an array of serious challenges, with spiralling construction costs, high interest rates, insufficient and overly rigid funding, and a lack of investment in local infrastructure posing significant financial barriers to the delivery of new homes. "Alongside the Mayor of London, boroughs will continue making the case for the investment we need to unlock stalled sites in the capital and work with ministers to deliver the housing we all want to see.” Read our full statement here: https://lnkd.in/etBZxRGF #planning #planningpolicy#planningreform #economicgrowth #housing #Londonhousingcrisis #housingpolicy #localgov

Shelter has today published new research into the worsening #homelessness crisis, showing that 354,016 are likely to be homeless in England on any given night. The findings confirm that London has the most acute homelessness rates in the country. We have recently warned of skyrocketing homelessness in the capital, with more than one in 50 Londoners currently homeless and living in temporary accommodation arranged by their local borough. Read our statement: https://lnkd.in/eiU3GU8b #localgov #housingpolicy #Londonhousingcrisis

We're hiring! We are seeking a Strategy and Policy Director to provide visionary leadership and shape the future of London’s boroughs, communities, and stakeholders. Working closely with senior elected leaders, boroughs, and influential partners, you will drive the delivery of London Councils’ Shared Ambitions with a focus on devolution, the English Devolution Bill, and London’s missions.   This is a transformative opportunity to drive positive change for London’s boroughs and communities. You’ll work at the heart of London government, advocating for policies that shape the city’s future while ensuring the needs of its most vulnerable citizens are addressed. Apply here: https://lnkd.in/eAdk25Xx

Today, Resilient & Green and Low Carbon Transport, part of the London Councils Climate Programme, hosted the opening session at LGTAG - Local Government Technical Advisers Group Annual Conference.  Their presentations and panel discussion focused on how boroughs can support climate resilience. The session highlighted the importance of embedding adaptation as a priority across local authority services and considering adaptation in capital programmes and spending. Indeed, 84% of attendees said they either disagreed or strongly disagreed with the statement ‘London is well prepared for dealing with the impacts of climate change’. With thanks to Emma Howard Boyd CBE, who presented the London Climate Resilience Review, and Elizabeth Rapoport for presenting the London Surface Water Strategy. Thanks also to our Chair, Tom Sharland, and our excellent panelists, Emma Howard Boyd CBE, Elizabeth Rapoport, Matthew Hill, Tom Buttrick, Ian Hawthorn and Jasdeep Bhachu.  London Climate Resilience review: https://lnkd.in/eBrEF9sY The London Surface Water Strategy: https://lnkd.in/eTHU3kVw Emma Howard Boyd CBE Elizabeth Rapoport Tom Sharland Matt Hill Tom Buttrick Ian Hawthorn Cmgr MCMI ExDip #BeTheSolution #ResilientandGreen #LowCarbonTransport