Publication from Caroline Russell: City Hall Greens Budget Amendment 2021-2022

Each year City Hall Greens present a practicable amendment to the Mayor’s budget and seeks to fund programmes and projects that would improve the lives of Londoners, especially those in marginalised or overlooked groups.

This year has been uniquely challenging for London as the city’s economy was paused as Londoners were put under lockdown measures and non-essential shops and services closed to prevent the spread of coronavirus. These moves to protect our health have drastically impacted the funds available to the Mayor and GLA programmes, both in-year and for future budgets, to an extent not seen since the depths of the Great Recession of 2008 – 2013 and accompanying austerity policies.

In that recession, people in the lower socioeconomic brackets suffered the worst outcomes. And as data is being gathered on the impact of the coronavirus crisis we can see the same pattern emerging. Not only is the evidence showing that existing inequality has worsened health outcomes of people who contracted coronavirus, but the resulting impact on our economy is disproportionately affecting people in lower income industries and trades.

This budget amendment focuses mainly on a number of smaller interventions using existing reserves to direct money towards practical help for those most in need



Where we have proposed larger investment plans, we have created new income streams rather than removing money from any of the Mayor’s recovery missions. Our amendment contains six parts:

1. Providing a new pathway to move London’s zero carbon target from 2050 to 2030
2. A package of measures to make our city better for people who walk, especially in outer London, including improvements to junctions, more crossings to cross the road safely and better learning and engagement on new plans
3. The purchase of new London Living Rent homes owned by the GLA to help key workers
4. Dedicated funding for youth homelessness services and beds
5. A road charging study that focuses on engagement with Londoners and explores preferred schemes, outcomes and mitigation measures
6. Funding grants for London’s independent renters’ rights groups

Our proposals will be funded using a total of £423.28 million, including drawing down £400 million in total from funding unallocated in the 2016-23 affordable housing grant programme funding and the portion available for acquisitions within the 2021-26 affordable housing grant programme, £1.8 million from the £67 million business rates reserves, £20.3 million over two years raised by increasing Transport for London (TfL) traffic enforcement notices on red routes, and a further £1.18 million raised from a small increase of 41p in the non-policing GLA council tax precept.

Download City Hall Greens Budget Amendment 2021-22