London politics

London politics

At the time, the Mayor of London said he desperately wanted it to happen, but it cannot be at any cost and suggested a roll-on roll-off ferry as a short-term solution for crossing the river. He added: Despite considerable effort by TfL to minimise the cost of what is a welldesigned and technically feasible solution, the sheer scale and the complexity of providing an opening bridge on this part of the river with the increased costs means it is currently unaffordable. I continue to support a bridge as the right, longterm solution.

Lambeth Council has axed the Lambeth Country Show and dropped a last-minute legal appeal in order to allow the rest of the Brockwell Live events programme to go ahead next summer. Questions had been raised over the legality of major events in Brockwell Park including Mighty Hoopla, Field Day and Wide Awake after the council lost a High Court challenge in May. A judge ruled the events exceeded the permitted 28 days allowed under temporary change-of-use rules.

Many of the weaknesses which we have reported here in the report are not new. They are long-standing issues that have persisted, some of which over many years. The pace of improvement has not matched in some cases the scale of the challenge facing the authority around a number of these matters. Without urgent and sustained action and clear accountability the council risks remaining in a cycle, in my view, of statutory intervention and limited assurance.

The coat of arms, once a familiar sight in London, was first granted to the Greater London Council (GLC) in October 1966, but when the GLC was abolished, the armorial was put into abeyance. Most municipal authorities have a coat of arms, but when the GLA was created in 2000, it didn't apply for one. Coats of Arms in most of the UK (except Scotland) are granted and managed by the College of Arms, under powers delegated to it by the Crown.

Hackney Council takes a 'health in all policies' approach to everything we do. "Gambling-related harm is well documented but not well recognised as it is often a highly stigmatised form of damage in the lives of some of ourmost deprived citizens."

Latest figures show the number of spiking related offences recorded by the Metropolitan police increased by 23 per cent year-on-year to 2,633 in 2024/25 - almost 220 cases a month. But in only 84 cases was there a positive outcome, such as a person being charged with an offence. Offences were highest in Westminster (435) which covers the bulk of the West End - Lambeth (173) and Camden (164).

Only about 56% of people on council housing registers in boroughs like Islington and Lambeth are rehoused each year Councils are removing thousands from waiting lists due to having no realistic chance of being housed Council housing now overwhelmingly goes to those in the most severe need Only about five per cent of Londoners on the waiting list for a council home have any chance of being rehoused, a City Hall inquiry has been told.

Residents of a shared property in south-east London had to urinate in a bath or use the lavatories at a nearby furniture superstore for 58 days because their landlord did not fix a broken toilet, a tribunal has heard. The five tenants also had to put up with a faulty ventilation system that was so noisy it kept them awake at night and caused mould.

James Fitzgerald, landlord of the Thatched House in Hammersmith, said his costs have risen by 22,000 over the past year - with the increase in National Insurance a major factor. He said he had already cut his own wage, reduced staff hours, and trimmed other running costs, and there was no more room to make savings. "If it goes up again, eventually I'll end up doing it for free and then I'll have to pull out. There's no way to survive."

Mayor of London Sir Sadiq Khan said: "We need urgent action to give the nation's high street a new lease of life." PA Media "I'm pleased that we're now moving ahead with our exciting plans to regenerate this iconic area, backed by the vast majority of Londoners and businesses," he added. The mayor explained that the new proposals, released on Friday, "map out the potential next steps" of the plan. Sir Sadiq said he "encourages everyone to have their say on the proposals".

Getty Images A 2.4m package of support has been announced for victims and survivors of Child Sexual Exploitation (CSE) in London. Mayor of London Sir Sadiq Khan said the money would directly fund new independent sexual violence advocates and expand counselling provision for all survivors of CSE. It comes after the Met announced it would re-examine hundreds of cases of CSE over the past 15 years as part of a national re-investigation overseen by the National Crime Agency and the National Police Chief's Council.

Rosen, 79, said on X he was struggling to replace his Freedom Pass, prompting Allsopp, 52, to respond that "people taking things they did not need" were "bankrupting our country".

Regent Street will close to traffic for the first time in five years and be transformed into a fully pedestrianised winter wonderland. The busy shopping street will be pedestrianised between 2pm and 9pm on Saturday December 6 as part of a car-free day of Christmas shopping and celebrations. Regent Street will be pedestrianised along its Festive Mile, stretching between Oxford Circus and Piccadilly Circus.

Explaining the reasons for granting the order, Holgate wrote that: The grounds of appeal are arguable with a real prospect of success. The case law on scheme benefits, deliverability, relevance, material considerations and irrationality merits review.

A decision from City Hall is thought to be imminent, with Sir Sadiq's deputy mayor for planning Jules Pipe likely to be given the final say. Mr Pipe had raised concerns when given first sight of the plans in April last year but Tower Hamlets councillors went against advice from their officials when they granted planning permission in January.

In recent years some of London's busiest tourist hotspots have been calling out for measures to capitalise on visitors and make things better for local residents. One such thing proposed to raise vital funds for local authorities is a tourist levy, which has been considered by the likes of Mayor of London Sadiq Khan (back in 2024) and northwest London borough Brent.

ACV status can help save pubs and other spaces the community cares about. It gave Barnet Museum time to investigate purchasing Tudor Hall and do their due diligence. The government is currently legislating for a longer period for community groups to raise the funds to buy and assess the feasibility of purchasing, levelling the playing field with commercial businesses. If the Black Horse does become an ACV, that could be an option for us if the legislation is passed in time.

The London boroughs where no affordable homes are being built can be revealed. These boroughs were: the City of London, Hackney, Lambeth, Merton and Richmond. In addition, in a further 12 boroughs, the number started did not even reach double figures. These were: Barking and Dagenham, Bexley, Brent, Croydon, Enfield, Haringey, Hounslow, Islington, Kensington and Chelsea, Kingston, Wandsworth and Westminster.

Ben LynchLocal Democracy Reporting Service LDRS A west London council has rejected an application to list Shepherd's Bush Market as an asset of community value (ACV). Earlier this year, Friends of Shepherd's Bush Market applied for ACV status in an effort to "protect" its future, after major redevelopment plans from developer Yoo Capital were approved. The group said ACV status would be the first step towards community ownership of the site, amid concerns that Yoo Capital intended on selling.

However, analysis of London's 80 victims since January 1, reveals 24 were killed as a result of domestic-related violence, compared to about 15 by November 11 last year. Campaigners described the Standard's findings as staggering and called for systemic changes to stop women falling through cracks in the system. Among the tragic death toll is 40-year-old Agne Druskienea, who was found stabbed to death at her home in Havering early on October 18.

Kensington and Chelsea council says it has seized 1,000 badly parked rental e-bikes so far this year. The action comes in response to complaints from residents who report the bikes as trip hazards and highway obstructions. Once reported, council staff remove the bikes from the streets and place them in storage. To have the bikes released, the providers are paying a one-off seizure fee, plus a daily storage fee if the bikes are not collected within 14 days.