Funding London’s priorities

Open

249 Londoners have responded

Aerial view of a high street in Croydon

Discussions

Discussion | Your priorities for London in 2026

User Image for
Added by Talk London

The Mayor’s budget sets out how he will fund his priorities. Before he takes any final decisions, we would love to know what you think.

Join the conversation 

  • What do you think are the most important priorities to make London better next year, and why? 

Help inform the budget and share your views in the comments below. We will share your feedback with the Mayor’s Office, Assembly Members and our Group Finance team. 

About the budget for London

Through the budget, the Mayor ensures there is a sound financial plan to deliver his priorities within the resources that are available to the GLA (Greater London Authority) Group.  

The budget goes through several stages, including scrutiny from the London Assembly, before it can be finalised. 

Read more about the budget, what it covers and how it’s set. 

Open


Want to add a comment?

New here? Join Talk London, City Hall's online community where you can have your say on London's biggest issues.

Join Talk London

Already have an account?

Log into your account
Comments (101)

Avatar for -

You need to fix the housing crisis - it is real poverty for many in work and it puts up costs for business.

Forget spending on stopping climate change  - it won't be stopped now. China, Russia and the US don't care about it so it will happen...

Show full comment

You need to fix the housing crisis - it is real poverty for many in work and it puts up costs for business.

Forget spending on stopping climate change  - it won't be stopped now. China, Russia and the US don't care about it so it will happen and the UK will freeze - which will make the housing crisis even worse.

Start replacing old terrace housing with factory built and fitted out  flats with Swedish grade insulation and low energy use. Sell them at the market rate and watch the rate drop as supply catches up.

"Affordable" housing means 'substandard' by any standard except the middle of a housing crisis. 

Just replace old terraces with blocks of "low energy waste" flats - and sell them at the market rate.

The owners will make a profit and you won't overload the infrastructure.

Prices will come down as supply increases and we won't be left with a city of shoebox homes.

Show less of comment

Avatar for - Rhino

Although I agree with some of what you write, isn't it strange that the housing "crisis" has grown at the same time as mass immigration!

Avatar for -

The Mayor's support for cycling is causing huge problems for pedestrians. Lime and Forest bikes are scattered all over pavements blocking access for pedestrians that are disabled or for those wheeling prams, puschairs or mobility vehicles...

Show full comment

The Mayor's support for cycling is causing huge problems for pedestrians. Lime and Forest bikes are scattered all over pavements blocking access for pedestrians that are disabled or for those wheeling prams, puschairs or mobility vehicles. Cycle riders jump red traffic lights and ride through when pedestrians are crossing at the correct time. The improvements to cycle ways are at the expense of motorists who pay through their vehicle taxes but cyclists pay no such tax nor do they have insurance when they injure people or cause damage to vehicles through their carelessness. There needs to be a change to the law to make cyclists  accountable for their actions especially as electric bikes are much heavier than pedal bikes and can travel at speeds greater than motor vehicles are allowed to on many of London's roads. Cyclists need to learn the Highway code, need to have insurance and cycles need to have some form of registration.

Show less of comment

Avatar for -

Absolutely agree with you. It's getting more and more dangerous to be a pedestrian- a guy on an electric bike crashed into my daughter's pushchair, whilst she was in it. She ended up having concussion, 15 stitches and multiple bruises. The...

Show full comment

Absolutely agree with you. It's getting more and more dangerous to be a pedestrian- a guy on an electric bike crashed into my daughter's pushchair, whilst she was in it. She ended up having concussion, 15 stitches and multiple bruises. The police weren't particularly interested, and the cyclist didn't so much as apologise. But how many more people are going to be hurt, or killed, until the mayor and government take this seriously?

Show less of comment

Avatar for -

UK wide.

Deaths caused by cyclists. 4

Deaths caused by drivers.1400

Avatar for -

UK wide,

Deaths caused by motor vehicle drivers. 1400

Deaths caused by cyclists. 4

Avatar for -

And all the injuries caused to pedestrians are acceptable, are they?? Yeah, OK...

Load more
Avatar for -

With regards to transport fares- rather than throwing around free bus passes like confetti, how about making 11-17 year old passes term time only, 6am to 6pm, not including weekends. On my local school run, with my 5 year old daughter, she...

Show full comment

With regards to transport fares- rather than throwing around free bus passes like confetti, how about making 11-17 year old passes term time only, 6am to 6pm, not including weekends. On my local school run, with my 5 year old daughter, she has actually been given a black eye 4 TIMES in 18 months by unruly kids pushing and shoving on buses- and acting so entitled. Teenagers aren't the only ones needing to use transport- and I pay nearly £30 a week to travel with my child, only to face abuse and physical threats on buses.

Show less of comment

Avatar for - Sea turtle

The issue with such a survey is it is very broad and open to multiple interpretation. Just because something is important, does not mean you need to spend more money on it, or you create new rules and burdens. It may just be that you...

Show full comment

The issue with such a survey is it is very broad and open to multiple interpretation. Just because something is important, does not mean you need to spend more money on it, or you create new rules and burdens. It may just be that you actually improve the effectiveness of existing policies by ensuring they are followed or the punishment of a breach is severe. 
My opinion is that the mayor should not be spending any money on anything that is a national requirement - example, on climate change: the mayor is not responsible for subsidising greener homes or electric vehicles, or electric vehicle charging points. This cost should be borne by the central government. The mayor should spend it political muscle to ensure the central government spends on it, or devolve the tax collection (e.g. energy levies collected from household bills in London), so the mayor can allocate this to the scheme. 

The role of the mayor is to reduce red tape, encourage infrastructure development, and spend money on local culture, and community development. Focus on the deregulation (not increased regulation), and reducing cost of doing business (not increasing cost). 

The two big policies that the mayor has directly enacted that is negative for London - ULEZ and Congestion charge increased cost. There is no improvement in public infrastructure or alternatives - the underground in outer london is just as bad as it was 10 years ago - the piccadilly line upgrade has been delayed every year and it remains shut; metropolitan line continues to have consistent signal failures and irregular and infrequent services due to shortage of trains, drivers, etc; same with a number of overground lines. Yet, if you drive into London because of lack of efficient alternatives you are penalised. So business will continue to move out. These are policies directly in the Mayor's control, and he has to take responsibility for his failure. Policing is another failure, and directly at the feet of the mayor. 

Show less of comment

Avatar for -

The proposed pedestrianisation of Oxford Street is a discriminates against those  who are not fully ambulant.  It will prevent them from visiting the area.

Show full comment

The proposed pedestrianisation of Oxford Street is a discriminates against those  who are not fully ambulant.  It will prevent them from visiting the area.

Show less of comment

Avatar for - Tiger

I agree with this. Some of us can't walk far enough if there aren't buses going down Oxford St.

Avatar for - Monarch butterfly

Pedestrianing Oxford is a stupid idea. It infantilises a busy city into a play area - where people will hang around doing sod all all day. It won’t save the street, it’ll wash it out until it looks like an abandoned mall. 

Show full comment

Pedestrianing Oxford is a stupid idea. It infantilises a busy city into a play area - where people will hang around doing sod all all day. It won’t save the street, it’ll wash it out until it looks like an abandoned mall. 

Show less of comment

Avatar for - American pika

The entrenched privilege of London's homeowners, especially those in houses rather than apartments, is truely disgusting. 

I don't think they know how much damage they're doing to the city and the whole of the UK by blocking the building of...

Show full comment

The entrenched privilege of London's homeowners, especially those in houses rather than apartments, is truely disgusting. 

I don't think they know how much damage they're doing to the city and the whole of the UK by blocking the building of denser housing.

We absolutely need higher taxes on houses (rather than apartments) to force them out. Getting rid of the single home inheritance tax exemption and the other tax property loopholes would be great too.

Demolishing houses in London to build mid and high rises is the most important way to create opportunity in the UK. This affects a whole generation of young people.

Show less of comment

Avatar for - Rhino

Or, get rid of 2,000,000 people!

Avatar for - American pika

Having 2,000,000 workers working in the city benefits everyone. 

 

Having a bunch of retirees sitting in their 800k houses doing nothing doesn't benefit anyone.

Show full comment

Having 2,000,000 workers working in the city benefits everyone. 

 

Having a bunch of retirees sitting in their 800k houses doing nothing doesn't benefit anyone.

Show less of comment

Avatar for -

Mid and high rises. That deprives young families of gardens as play space and food growing opportunities. More ground level homes for families. Higher rise for singles and childless households.

Avatar for - American pika

If you want gardens and food growing opportunities: you can move to the countryside! Plenty of space outside the capital.

Having a 2 parent and 2 kid house with a garden as a middle class person in London when you could instead have a mid...

Show full comment

If you want gardens and food growing opportunities: you can move to the countryside! Plenty of space outside the capital.

Having a 2 parent and 2 kid house with a garden as a middle class person in London when you could instead have a mid rise which houses 20 people denies opportunity to 18 people from high quality London jobs.

It's this kind of attitude that really puts the boot down on low income people who want to better themselves. You're giving entitlement to your special little darlings at enormous expense of everyone else.

 

Show less of comment

Load more
Avatar for -


Some lovely stuff here but some items eg  supporting space for artists seem like ‘nice to haves’ when so many Londoners are really struggling with the cost of living.

The GLA share of council tax has gone up a lot over the last 10 years plus...

Show full comment


Some lovely stuff here but some items eg  supporting space for artists seem like ‘nice to haves’ when so many Londoners are really struggling with the cost of living.

The GLA share of council tax has gone up a lot over the last 10 years plus the Government's fairer funding adjustments will hike up the council share of council tax for Londoners who are already struggling.

better to trim back some of these luxuries and hand money back to band A-D council tax payers who will appreciate the support. 

Very surprised to see the cost of living completely missing here.


I do strongly support more police but the mayor must do more to publicly support our hard working officers 

Some things eg supporting carnivals will be better delivered by organising private sector sponsorship. This already happens with pride and the marathons/cycling. Notting Hill springs to mind as something that should be funded privately.

I strongly support more buses in Outer London. The mayor needs to cut congestion to improve bus speed and reliability. The pedestrian crossings popping up everywhere really don’t help. 
I also support keeping the fares down, the fares are amongst the highest in the world but the service is far from it.

Show less of comment

Avatar for - Tiger

as an artist, I have to say, affordable workspaces for artists are necessary, as it's gotten more and more difficult to be an artist in London at all, paying for rent/mortgage at home as well as studio rent on top. The reason London is a...

Show full comment

as an artist, I have to say, affordable workspaces for artists are necessary, as it's gotten more and more difficult to be an artist in London at all, paying for rent/mortgage at home as well as studio rent on top. The reason London is a cultural hub is partly because of artists, so if we all get priced out of London, then London will not have much culture anymore. I already know of many, many artists who have moved out of London or have to work in their living room at home. If we want culture in London then we need to support those who create culture, otherwise London will turn into Dubai!

But I can understand your perspective - it seems like a 'luxury'. But without art, life is pretty drab indeed!

Show less of comment

Avatar for -

Two threads strike me as most important: 

Building more homes, especially affordable homes suitable for families.

Reducing reliance on the private car with its effects on pollution, danger, time-loss through congestion and domination of...

Show full comment

Two threads strike me as most important: 

Building more homes, especially affordable homes suitable for families.

Reducing reliance on the private car with its effects on pollution, danger, time-loss through congestion and domination of public spaces.

Show less of comment

Avatar for - American pika

Support the police and fire people to protect us and to cut crime. Support those helping the poor and the unhoused. Surely those should always be the highest priorities.

Avatar for - American pika

I moved to London this year: wanted to see what all the fuss was about.

 

The city doesn't seem to offer much opportunity in exchange for it's high prices. I will probably give it one more year and then move to Manchester where I might...

Show full comment

I moved to London this year: wanted to see what all the fuss was about.

 

The city doesn't seem to offer much opportunity in exchange for it's high prices. I will probably give it one more year and then move to Manchester where I might actually be able to afford housing.

Show less of comment

Avatar for - Colombian spotted frog

That depends on what you see as opportunity.

Avatar for - American pika

The big employers that make all the money to prop everything else up aren't expanding within London: they're staying stagnant. Some companies are de-listing and moving to the US. Others are opening offices outside London: JP Morgan has send...

Show full comment

The big employers that make all the money to prop everything else up aren't expanding within London: they're staying stagnant. Some companies are de-listing and moving to the US. Others are opening offices outside London: JP Morgan has send loads of people to Glasgow, Manchester is growing etc 

 

But London isn't. The city has peaked.

Show less of comment

Avatar for -

I know he’s been looking but I wish the mayor would pay more attention and copy what the Mayor for Paris has been doing in the city.  The transport transformation, which has taken place in such a short time is nothing short of unbelievable...

Show full comment

I know he’s been looking but I wish the mayor would pay more attention and copy what the Mayor for Paris has been doing in the city.  The transport transformation, which has taken place in such a short time is nothing short of unbelievable. The whole city has changed beyond recognition and become a cycling and walking utopia. The knock-on effects of this are less pollution, more nature, more green spaces, less people in hospital for obesity and other related diseases, thriving communities where people talk to, look out for and after each other.  Most of the subjects that we’ve been asked to comment on would improve if we changed the city from one reliant and dominated by the motor vehicle and pivoted to one where walking and cycling are prioritised.  I know London has changed enormously in the past 10 years but we don’t have the luxury of time at this pace. Stop all this slow transitioning, take the bull by the horns and make the changes we all need, now. Cities for people not vehicles.

Show less of comment

Avatar for -

No thank you. 
Invest in better buses and public transport. Buses crawl past some of the LTNs at peak times. I don’t catch the bus any more because they are so unreliable. A chicken runs faster than your average London bus at peak times

Cut...

Show full comment

No thank you. 
Invest in better buses and public transport. Buses crawl past some of the LTNs at peak times. I don’t catch the bus any more because they are so unreliable. A chicken runs faster than your average London bus at peak times

Cut fares which are some of the highest in the world.

This nonsense makes life a nightmare for those not able to get around easily.

Transport for everyone, not just anti car fanatics 

Show less of comment

Avatar for - American pika

I'm frustrated that the survey put so much focus on social and affordable housing when the problems are clearly with high prices homes for average workers and renters.

 

Solving the problem for homeless and low income people isn't enough...

Show full comment

I'm frustrated that the survey put so much focus on social and affordable housing when the problems are clearly with high prices homes for average workers and renters.

 

Solving the problem for homeless and low income people isn't enough. What about the rest of us?

 

 

 

 

Show less of comment

Avatar for - Monarch butterfly

Agree. And the increasing use of our parks and green spaces for music festivals and the like - bringing lots of extra traffic and noise - is sometimes contrary to the quiet enjoyment of local people, both of their park and their...

Show full comment

Agree. And the increasing use of our parks and green spaces for music festivals and the like - bringing lots of extra traffic and noise - is sometimes contrary to the quiet enjoyment of local people, both of their park and their neighbourhood.

Show less of comment

Avatar for -

I have one further suggestion, cut back your silly ideas to stop wasting our money.

Avatar for - Colombian spotted frog

Such as?

Avatar for -

To Jeff 666

 

There isn't space - but please join me trying to persuade the Mayor to stop piling tax after tax, charge after charge on us.  Remember the ULEZ racket forced huge numbers of perfectly decent vehicles off the roads.  Many...

Show full comment

To Jeff 666

 

There isn't space - but please join me trying to persuade the Mayor to stop piling tax after tax, charge after charge on us.  Remember the ULEZ racket forced huge numbers of perfectly decent vehicles off the roads.  Many Londoners are still fuming about that!

 

However you look at it, the cost has had to be paid by London businesses which in turn have had to increase prices that we have to pay.

 

Also look at "traffic calming".  Vast amounts of our money is wasted by slowing traffic for our inconvenience and the inconvenience of everyone else using the roads.  

 

Take a close look at the Mayor's team's policy of waste and inconvenience, then you'll see the "such as"

Show less of comment

Avatar for - Colombian spotted frog

Personally, I believe the only way to improve housing in the capital is to have more housing stock under local authority control. My local borough has no stock at all. That means they can’t house people without paying private companies or...

Show full comment

Personally, I believe the only way to improve housing in the capital is to have more housing stock under local authority control. My local borough has no stock at all. That means they can’t house people without paying private companies or other boroughs. Something they legally have to do. Additionally it means money cannot be reinvested. The mayor needs a strategic plan here. Maybe in a development 3-5% of homes built must be offered to be sold at cost price to the LA to raise the number of quality houses in the London stock. Alternatively, the mayors office takes on the day to day running of all housing across all boroughs and pools the pot of money back into the system, so that the funds raised can be reinvested to build our own homes without developers taking a huge slice. 

Maybe I’m living in fantasy land, but ideas need to be made to fix the broken housing system. 

Show less of comment

Avatar for -

I don't agree.  It would be far better to cut the Mayor's draconian hold that he has on us with multiple costs, charges and taxes.  Then more Londoners would be able to afford to pay for their own homes

Show full comment

I don't agree.  It would be far better to cut the Mayor's draconian hold that he has on us with multiple costs, charges and taxes.  Then more Londoners would be able to afford to pay for their own homes

Show less of comment

Avatar for - Colombian spotted frog

as usual it is a shame that despite the Mayor's environmental commitments our parks and green spaces have a very low profile in this survey. The only way London will thrive in the future is if the Mayor starts taking a serious strategic...

Show full comment

as usual it is a shame that despite the Mayor's environmental commitments our parks and green spaces have a very low profile in this survey. The only way London will thrive in the future is if the Mayor starts taking a serious strategic approach to our city's green and blue infrastructure, rather than just paying lip service to its importance

Show less of comment


Community guidelines

Anything you publish will appear almost right away. We want anyone to feel welcome to get involved in a constructive way. Our community guidelines will help us all do this.

Read our guidelines