Have your say on London's budget for 2022–23
The Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, has published his draft spending plans for the Greater London Authority (GLA) Group. Tell us what you think.
The proposed 2022–23 GLA Group budget aims to get London back on its feet and recover from the pandemic. It centres around the Mayor’s priorities and the issues that matter most to Londoners:
- investing more in the police
- supporting our transport network
- building more genuinely affordable homes for Londoners
- supporting businesses during this difficult time
- skilling up Londoners for well-paid jobs
- tackling air pollution and the climate emergency
- providing more opportunities for young Londoners to reach their full potential.
Find out more about what’s in the 2022–23 GLA Group draft budget below and have your say in the discussion at the end.
The pandemic continues to create financial challenges and uncertainty. On top of that, a lack of government funding to support key public services is seriously impacting the GLA Group. It particularly affects Transport for London (TfL), the Met Police and London Fire Brigade.
That is why the Mayor is proposing to increase council tax next year by £31.93 a year on average (or £2.66 per month). This is a similar increase to last year, and it includes:
- A £20 increase to help prevent the collapse of TfL. This was forced by the government to raise additional revenue to make up for the lower fare income following the pandemic.
- A £10 increase to raise an additional £38.5 million for the Met Police. This will be used to fund frontline police officers, to tackle serious violent crime and violence against women and girls, and to support crime prevention programmes.
- A £1.93 increase to support London Fire Brigade to ensure it can quickly respond to major fires and make the changes needed after the Grenfell Tower Inquiry.
To build a brighter and better future, the proposed spending plans include:
- £874 million to support the Met Police and £421 million for London Fire Brigade. This will keep London safe by being tough on crime and the causes of crime and ensuring the Met and London Fire Brigade have the resources they need to serve Londoners effectively.
- £4 billion to continue building the affordable housing London needs over the period 2021–26.
- £2 billion to support TfL through the financial crisis caused by the pandemic.
- Just over £350 million to directly support London’s economy and skill up Londoners in 2022–23.
- On average £20 million a year to develop a Green New Deal over the next three years. The deal will focus on decarbonising our city and supporting the creation of tens of thousands of new jobs, as well as continuing our work to clean up London’s toxic air and tackle climate change.
- £13 million in 2022–23 to develop a New Deal for Young People, who are among the hardest hit by this crisis. This will create opportunities and support to ensure every young person can get on and make the most of their talents.
Read the draft budget in full.
Find out more about what the budget pays for and how it’s set.
The discussion ran from 06 January 2022 - 30 January 2022
Closed
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Log into your accountLibrarian
Community Member 3 years agoFully on board with spending on TfL, affordable housing, and the fire brigade. However, a lot could be done to free up many of the empty and abandoned buildings in the city, in order to house people. The empty old Citibank building in...
Show full commentFully on board with spending on TfL, affordable housing, and the fire brigade. However, a lot could be done to free up many of the empty and abandoned buildings in the city, in order to house people. The empty old Citibank building in Lewisham is a disgrace. It could be retrofitted to become flats. Also not on board with more spending on the Met police as they are plagued by institutional racism and sexism and they need to take that seriously and completely rethink their mission, which after all, is supposed to be to serve the public. And as well as more funding for the fire brigade, how about a decent policy of not allowing new developments with only one staircase, as we've seen how badly wrong the "stay in place" policy can go. Having stringent safety standards and proper checks would also help the fire brigade in the long run. Also very much in favour of the Green New Deal - London's air pollution need to be tackled urgently and we need to stop being held hostage by car drivers who resist any erosion of their rights to pollute. More green spaces and places where pedestrians and shoppers can sit and relax would make our communities more attractive and safer.
Show less of commenttheobotsford
Community Member 3 years agoAs several others have mentioned, there's a real mismatch between the spending proposed on climate and the risks our city faces. Compare 20m for a Green Deal with the costs of just one storm surge in London - many times greater and likely...
Show full commentAs several others have mentioned, there's a real mismatch between the spending proposed on climate and the risks our city faces. Compare 20m for a Green Deal with the costs of just one storm surge in London - many times greater and likely to happen many times without urgent action now. Why not support practical national policies to build resilience and reduce pollution in London and elsewhere, like Climate Income? See link for details.
https://citizensclimatelobby.uk/climate-income/
As far as the Met goes, they need a plan to become a force that serves the people of London, and so far I'm not convinced (and nor is my wife). After Bibaa Henry and Nicole Smallman; Sarah Everard; serving officers credibly accused of multiple rapes (and not even sacked!); coordinated spying on legal protest organisations (even fathering children under a false identity, with senior support), they owe it to us to explain what went wrong and how they will prevent it happening again. Without that, I can't support any increase in funding, however badly needed.
Show less of commentFrances74
Community Member 3 years agoI have been living in London for 20 years and I have never seen new houses built; 20 years still privately renting! I believe new houses will be built when I see them with my eyes. Meanwhile, the biggest problem of the past 5 years (at...
Show full commentI have been living in London for 20 years and I have never seen new houses built; 20 years still privately renting! I believe new houses will be built when I see them with my eyes. Meanwhile, the biggest problem of the past 5 years (at least) is Westminster Council NEVER dealing with my and my neighbours's issues (noise, anti social behaviour etc.); lately with the pathetic excuse of Covid-19. Investing is not enough if the people in charge are not up to their jobs!
Show less of commentRRah2019
Community Member 3 years agoI generally agree with the budget proposals. I agree that we need to support TfL, especially given central government underfunding, and also because public and private transport facilities truly are decent in London and TfL deserves credit...
Show full commentI generally agree with the budget proposals. I agree that we need to support TfL, especially given central government underfunding, and also because public and private transport facilities truly are decent in London and TfL deserves credit for that.
Show less of commentHowever, is increasing funding for the Met Police really the best way to reduce violence and keep Londoners safe? The Met seems to continue to be bigoted generally, and sexist and homophobic specifically, damaging news reports coming out almost weekly. More money doesn't necessarily mean responsible behaviour and practices. A vast proportion of victims and the general public alike have lost trust in the very people they pay for to keep them safe. I would have liked to see public money being targeted to rebuilding trust, developing new practices and guidelines; and also dealing with the root causes of crime by re-allocating money away from the Met to social and youth services, education partners e.g. schools and clubs, and other local authority schemes; rather than giving more money directly to the Met to continue current practices.
Secondly we're in a climate emergency, pollution levels in the city are skyrocketing, hence more money needs to go into green-schemes. The "average £20 million a year to develop a Green New Deal over the next three years" is welcome, but not ambitious enough given the crisis we are already in and the limited time we've to take further action.
tkeep
Community Member 3 years agoMore funding for TFL should be based on providing solutions that actually work in each area not one size fits all. Bus routes that reach areas that need them and connect to other transport at speed. The Woolwich ferry has to actually be...
Show full commentMore funding for TFL should be based on providing solutions that actually work in each area not one size fits all. Bus routes that reach areas that need them and connect to other transport at speed. The Woolwich ferry has to actually be running to benefit anyone. Public transport should include a commitment to keep pavements accessible, crossing safe and neighbourhoods protected from traffic diverted from main roads by traffic maps. Roads should not belong to through traffic. Pathways and better air quality routes on foot, bike, scooter should also be a priority. Massive work needs to be done on getting school traffic out of cars which contributes hugely to the rush hours but working parents need alternatives. Fund walking buses and bike courier networks and initiatives that actually tackle air pollution close up. Cancel the Silvertown tunnel before south and north east London is one massive air pollution disaster area, it is well on the way already.
Show less of commentRetrofit housing not new, construction is hugely wasteful and polluting and developers are already responsible for destroying huge areas of the capital for their own profits.
Policing needs to be local, it will never work while police stations are disappearing and being sold off to developers.
Rethink your priorities and consider who is in a position to pay. Developers, bank, insurance companies, oil companies, multi home owners, if they want to profit from our city they should contribute.
kam
Community Member 3 years agoI totally agree.
Show full commentDevelopments everywhere but why no rent reductions based on less demand?
Westminster closed the Jubilee Centre against local protest and have subjected neighbours to years of disruption and noise abuse resulting in very...
I totally agree.
Show less of commentDevelopments everywhere but why no rent reductions based on less demand?
Westminster closed the Jubilee Centre against local protest and have subjected neighbours to years of disruption and noise abuse resulting in very serious health issues! Why 6am-6pm weekdays (yes, the lorries and workers arrive at 6am) and why add weekend work preventing 2 days respite.
livehere
Community Member 3 years agoThere is still a failure to redesign London local centres. Mini funds for tarting up high streets is just not good enough.
Show full commentThere is still a failure to redesign London local centres. Mini funds for tarting up high streets is just not good enough.
Show less of commentlivehere
Community Member 3 years agoI am hugely concerned about the regeneration projects, at Thamesmead and Park Royal. Again we see planning blight, very managed community involvement in the design, weak tweaking of the existing local environment (at Park Royal at least), a...
Show full commentI am hugely concerned about the regeneration projects, at Thamesmead and Park Royal. Again we see planning blight, very managed community involvement in the design, weak tweaking of the existing local environment (at Park Royal at least), a lack of imagination, a new social housing drought, and the usual under-provision of large genuinely green areas. And surely it is optimistic to think that Thamesmead won't be under water in a few decades? And where is the land for individuals and small groups that want to self-build? Overall, there is far too little dedicated to providing social rent housing, which is so desperately needed. Providing 'affordable' housing is just a way of subsidising the well-off and the rich. The GLA should be kicking off a separate housing market that provides land and genuinely affordable housing for real ordinary middle to low income Londoners.
Show less of commentGF1967
Community Member 3 years agoWith the cost of living is increasing, increases in council tax, when costs of essentials are more and more expensive is not realistic.
Racash
Community Member 3 years agoThe increases in council tax, when cost of living is increasing with gas, electric at record high prices along with other costs of essentials getting more and more expensive is not justifiable. The money needs to come from elsewhere.
Show full commentThe increases in council tax, when cost of living is increasing with gas, electric at record high prices along with other costs of essentials getting more and more expensive is not justifiable. The money needs to come from elsewhere.
Show less of commentBluecloud
Community Member 3 years agoI would like to see better alignment of the Mayor's objectives.
A one year funding shortfall is not an excuse to bump up council tax by £31.93 a year on average and then subsequent years would add increases compounded on that. This is...
Show full commentI would like to see better alignment of the Mayor's objectives.
A one year funding shortfall is not an excuse to bump up council tax by £31.93 a year on average and then subsequent years would add increases compounded on that. This is nothing more than an opportunistic money grab. If it's only needed for one year, make it a one off payment.
Why does the budget only talk about raising money through ever more complex and compound means and we don't see any commitments from the Mayor around his own transport network? Given the statements around the health risks of diesel, why are there no commitments to replace the busses and other services by any specific dates?
Share your vision for London transport if demand remains below pre-pandemic levels. Is the plan to keep doing the same or explore alternative ways of delivering the transport? Maintaining a multi-billion funding gap is not sustainable or responsible.
I don't like the blank cheque idea for an undisclosed "green deal". More specifics are needed to understand how that will be spent. Some of the Mayor's ideas being leaked to the press of paying for vehicle usage by the mile, expansion of "low emissions" / taxation zones implies greater mass surveillance which would be a misuse of the funds. If classes of vehicles are being classified as "harmful", ban them, stop profiting from pollution to fund badly run services, eliminate the pollution instead.
How is the 4 billion being spent to build "affordable housing" and any other infrastructure projects not going to directly contribute to the pollution? Does London need to keep expanding or could funds be redistributed elsewhere in the country?
Show less of commentlivehere
Community Member 3 years agoI was shocked to read today in a London newspaper that there is an area of London that has organised its own local voluntary paramedic service, and its own local police organisation ('community patrol'). Clearly these are regarded as good...
Show full commentI was shocked to read today in a London newspaper that there is an area of London that has organised its own local voluntary paramedic service, and its own local police organisation ('community patrol'). Clearly these are regarded as good things, as the community patrol are said to liaise with the Met. police, the local council and other authorities. But this highlights the substantial shortfall in Met. police in London. It is also dangerous, as there is such a risk of volunteer groups like this becoming too powerful, imposing their behavioural standards on others and 'policing' people's lifestyle or entirely legal activities that they frown upon. Much more funding should go to providing many more on the ground real police in areas where there are concentrations of minority populations that are at risk of violence.
Show less of commentub3leaseholder
Community Member 3 years agoA newly qualified nurse on £25k would have to give @ballymore 1/5 of their earnings for service charges alone @highpointvillage They have spiralled out of control. service charges have gone from £1,526,284.00 in 2014 to
Show full commentAn ESTIMATED £2,558...
A newly qualified nurse on £25k would have to give @ballymore 1/5 of their earnings for service charges alone @highpointvillage They have spiralled out of control. service charges have gone from £1,526,284.00 in 2014 to
An ESTIMATED £2,558,150.70 in 2022. #leaseholdscandal 🤦🏼♂️😢
You said you would ensure London leads the way to the the leasehold scandal - where is the pilot commonhold scheme?
Show less of commentkam
Community Member 3 years agoYES, Where is it????????????????????????????????????????
Show full commentIncidentally, is navigating this Comment section deliberately tedious?
YES, Where is it????????????????????????????????????????
Show less of commentIncidentally, is navigating this Comment section deliberately tedious?
ub3leaseholder
Community Member 3 years agoProposal by LibDems
CarolinePidgeon agreed by LondonAssembly to provide a #BuildingSafetyCrisis "support hub" to offer "mental health support as well as practical legal and financial advice."
#EndOurCladdingScandal
#MentalHealth
Come on...
Show full commentProposal by LibDems
CarolinePidgeon agreed by LondonAssembly to provide a #BuildingSafetyCrisis "support hub" to offer "mental health support as well as practical legal and financial advice."
#EndOurCladdingScandal
#MentalHealth
Come on Mayor, we need such initiatives up and running yesterday
Show less of commentub3leaseholder
Community Member 3 years agoLeasehold scandal????
Building Safety Crisis ????
Ground Rents????
Spiralling out of control service charges???
The mayor has forgot ?????
Show full commentLeasehold scandal????
Building Safety Crisis ????
Ground Rents????
Spiralling out of control service charges???
The mayor has forgot ?????
Show less of commentMabe
Community Member 3 years agoPlease include the cost of cancelling the Silvertown tunnel in the budget. It goes against all action in climate change and to protect our health.
Show full commentPlease include the cost of cancelling the Silvertown tunnel in the budget. It goes against all action in climate change and to protect our health.
Show less of commenttheSpokenWordSmith
Community Member 3 years agoI like the idea of supporting more businesses. It's the 'more' part I question. Established entities could do with more grass roots competition. Many promising startups like my own youth and wider community engaging 'Pathways to Health...
Show full commentI like the idea of supporting more businesses. It's the 'more' part I question. Established entities could do with more grass roots competition. Many promising startups like my own youth and wider community engaging 'Pathways to Health Newham' and others alike, are engaged in the arduous red tape slicing activities, which I believe could be made easier with an advocate directory of ethical and experienced experts in fields such as sports inclusion for people with learning difficulties, mental health and others recovering from hospital stays and covid isolation, so the recipients of such positive inclusion can get some time out to enjoy(we need more of a laugh in this climate) and be proud that they're getting fitter than last week. Being a cost effective startup in comparatively poorer boroughs like Newham feels like climbing up a greasey telegraph pole with slippery gloves. What's out there is ok if you know the system inside out and are already established, but what about us new boys(& girls) on the block who would otherwise skyrocket without the extra not fully-supported hurdles. At least we are heard here. But we want action now please.
Show less of commentAJH
Community Member 3 years agoMaking the place safer for pedestrians and cyclists and anyone who breathes air is a must.
Show full commentAffordable housing is a non starter: Only a certain number of houses can be built but getting the empty ones filled would actually increase...
Making the place safer for pedestrians and cyclists and anyone who breathes air is a must.
Show less of commentAffordable housing is a non starter: Only a certain number of houses can be built but getting the empty ones filled would actually increase availablitity and lower rental costs as demand is better met. A few people do well by being provided with affordable housing but the rest get nothing. Strong and enforced legislation that is properly policed to prevent accomodation being left empty as an investment would could bring empty properties into use.
robbiann
Community Member 3 years agoBefore the advent of Livingstone and the position of 'London Mayor' the City managed its resources with greater scrutiny. The arrival of this new role has bestowed unlimited powers on people who evidently are not able to maximise...
Show full commentBefore the advent of Livingstone and the position of 'London Mayor' the City managed its resources with greater scrutiny. The arrival of this new role has bestowed unlimited powers on people who evidently are not able to maximise performance and living standards within acceptable means. Khan possesses an extremist 'Fabian' view of 'taking from the rich and giving to the poor' but he singularly fails to understand the dynamic and throws money at personal causes such as 'affordable housing'. The quality of life in this City is seriously at risk from the current incumbents who take money and resources from those ill-equipped to spare it and direct it to resources that do not represent good investment. The unilateral decisions to close down Police stations, close down carriageways for cycling, set aside massive sums for temporary housing are part of a culture at variance with the very ethos of democracy.
Show less of commentMick Brown
Community Member 3 years ago“Affordable” housing is a total misnomer.
Shared ownership comprising part buy / part rent is in many cases as prohibitively expensive as 100% ownership, sometimes more so.
“Help to Buy” would more accurately be titled “help to even...
Show full comment“Affordable” housing is a total misnomer.
Shared ownership comprising part buy / part rent is in many cases as prohibitively expensive as 100% ownership, sometimes more so.
“Help to Buy” would more accurately be titled “help to even further inflate developers’ profits and directors’ bonuses and drive the upwards house price spiral” (granted it doesn’t trip off the tongue quite so easily).
“Buy to rent” mortgages simply enrich those wealthy enough at the expense of both those less well off and public finances.
Where is the commitment to reinstatement of properly built, sustainable, true social housing?
Come April, spiking energy costs will drive further swathes of people already struggling with ludicrous cost of accommodation (some in what might best be described as slum accommodation) towards abject poverty.
Not a great look for the capital city of what is supposed to be a developed country.
Show less of commentTOPICPLAN
Community Member 3 years agoThe main reason that TFL is struggling for money is due to the incredible waste of money on the roads and pavements, reducing road widths, adding more unused cycle lanes, changes to roundabouts and traffic control system additions and...
Show full commentThe main reason that TFL is struggling for money is due to the incredible waste of money on the roads and pavements, reducing road widths, adding more unused cycle lanes, changes to roundabouts and traffic control system additions and changes. All of this has brought traffic to a crawl, almost stationary in many places where emergency vehicles are unable to pass and the pollution is increasing due to these measures. Currently even more of these ludicrous schemes are proposed but hopefully some day a Mayor will be elected who can build a team around him with some common sense and vision rather than just being intent on persecuting drivers.
Show less of comment