MD3488 GLA: Mayor budget 2026-27

1.1.    This final GLA: Mayor budget (“final budget”) which the Mayor is invited to approve is structured around 14 “programmes” as part of the GLA’s portfolio approach to delivery, plus “core” activities that support the running of the organisation (including its delivery activities) and meeting its statutory responsibilities.

1.2.    When the draft GLA: Mayor budget was published in November, a small reduction in the underlying allocation of base funding was anticipated. This final budget allocates £149.7 million in new resources. 

1.3.    Including the use of external income, the final budget set out in the Appendix lays out total revenue funding of £1,000 million available for 2026-27, as well as a capital programme of £2.9 billion.

1.4.    This final budget allocates revenue and capital against the 14 GLA-led strategic delivery programmes. It does not present the detailed delivery plan for each programme; these have already been approved by the Mayor and published (and any updates to the delivery plans will be brought to the Mayor for approval). Further details on the additional activities funded by the £121.3 million resource for strategic investments will be released in due course following their approval. 

1.5.    The 14 GLA-led programmes are:
1.    Building more homes
2.    Making best use of land
3.    Improving London’s housing stock
4.    Reducing inequalities
5.    Accommodation and wider support for those who need it most
6.    Reducing non-residential emissions
7.    Delivering a greener, more climate-resilient London
8.    Cleaning London’s air
9.    Supporting Londoners to benefit from growth
10.    Supporting and inspiring young London
11.    Boosting London’s growth sectors
12.    Helping local economies to thrive
13.    Upgrading London’s infrastructure
14.    Supporting community, cultural and sporting events in London. 

1.6.    Programmes account for £885 million of expenditure and core activities account for £115 million. In addition, this budget includes the funding being passed to the London Stadium, which has been maintained as a separate allocation for clarity. This is anticipated to be £23 million for 2026-27.

1.7.    The budget is also presented by directorate, as shown in the appendix.

1.8.    A capital programme of £2.9 billion is also confirmed with £2.3 billion of that allocated to the Affordable Homes Programme (across the 2016-23 programme, the 2021-26 programme and the Social and Affordable Homes Programme 2026-36).
 

2.1.    The final GLA: Mayor budget for 2026-27 sets out the financial envelope for the GLA’s Mayoral operations for the year. The final budget will be deployed to meet the Mayor’s priorities for the GLA. The appendix describes the programmes through which this will be achieved.

2.2.    The capital strategy sets out spending plans from 2026-27 to 2029-30 along with aspirations and plans to implement the Mayor’s policies over the longer term to 2044-45.

2.3.    The final GLA: Mayor budget also sets out the funding flows to the London Stadium.
 

3.1.    Under section 149 of the Equality Act 2010, as a public authority, the Mayor and GLA must comply with the Public Sector Equality Duty (PSED) when exercising GLA functions. The PSED is a duty to have due regard to the need to eliminate unlawful discrimination, harassment and victimisation, and any conduct that is prohibited by or under the Equality Act 2010, advance equality of opportunity, and foster good relations between people who share a relevant ‘protected characteristic’ as defined in the Equality Act 2010 and those who do not.

3.2.    The ‘protected characteristics’ are: age, disability, gender re-assignment, pregnancy and maternity, marriage and civil partnership status (but only in respect of the need to eliminate discrimination), race (ethnic or national origins, colour or nationality), religion or belief (including lack of belief), sex, and sexual orientation. 

3.3.    Consideration of the PSED is not a one-off task. The duty must be fulfilled before taking a decision, at the time of taking a decision, and after the decision has been taken, to ensure that equalities impacts are kept under ongoing review

3.4.    These impacts are laid out in the appendix, particularly with regard to the savings set out within this budget. Within the appendix, reference is made to the GLA staff consultation document, published on 23 February 2026, which sets out the process to assess the impact of the proposed changes to the GLA’s staffing structure as a result of the savings laid out in this budget.

3.5.    The equalities impacts and the above duties will continue to be considered when individual programmes and project specifications are developed and approved through the GLA’s decision-making framework.
 

4.1.    The budget setting process has been carried out in accordance with the statutory requirements in the Greater London Authority Act 1999 (GLA Act). The London Assembly approved without amendment the GLA: Mayor component budget council tax at its meeting of 26 February 2026.

4.2.    An assessment of financial risks has been carried out and reflected in the updated Reserves policy set out within the GLA: Mayor budget.

4.3.    An assessment of the environmental impact of the budget is set out within the appendix.

4.4.    It is recognised that all GLA officers have an interest in the budget as it funds their employment. This budget has been developed in a process overseen by the Mayoral Delivery Board to ensure that it is driven by Mayoral priorities rather than those of any individual or team.
 

5.1.    Financial issues are integral to this decision and are presented in detail in the appendix. There are risks and uncertainties inherent in programmes reliant on government, other external funding and government policy on council tax and business rates in the medium term. The budget development, consultation and approval process has arrived at a reserve position which is judged to be reasonable, necessary and prudent. This will be kept under review.

5.2.    This budget includes £121.3 million of strategic allocations that were funded through the final GLA Group budget. The detailed allocation of this funding (i.e. to which delivery programme and objectives) will be approved via further Mayoral Decision(s) in due course.
 

6.1.    As confirmed at paragraph 4.1 above, the budget setting process has been conducted in accordance with the statutory provisions in Part III and Schedule 6 of the GLA Act. 

Appendix 1 – GLA: Mayor budget for 2026-27