The council has been ruthlessly efficient with your money and we are focusing every pound we spend on delivering the best possible services for residents.
The council has worked to keep council tax low: you pay less money in real terms than you did in 2010, and our council tax is among the cheapest 20 councils in the country. We have focused relentlessly on smarter investment, prevention over crisis, and bringing in external funding, because we are on your side.
A number of councils across London have had to draw on their reserves or ask the government for a bail out this year. We have not had to do either of those things. We have presented a balanced budget every year, ensuring we are only spending the money we have as a council. This is despite additional pressures on services for young people, older residents who need social care and homeless families.
One of the clearest examples of this approach is our progress in tackling the spiralling costs of temporary accommodation. By investing £21.2million in 100 new, self‑contained homes, we have dramatically cut the number of households placed in expensive B&Bs. These are not only better outcomes for families, but it means millions of pounds have been saved by reducing dependence on hotels.
We have also taken decisive action to reduce running costs across the borough. The upgrade of more than 3,100 streetlights to LED lights has halved energy consumption, while retrofitting over 1,200 council homes with insulation and clean heating has made homes warmer, greener and cheaper to maintain. These are long‑term savings that protect both residents and the public purse.
Crucially, we have secured significant national and regional investment so local taxpayers don’t shoulder the burden alone. We won £6.4million through the Warm Homes Fund, £7.5million through the LEVI programme for new EV chargers, and £5million from the National Institute for Health and Care Research to build world‑leading research capacity inside the council. We have also raised £47million through Section 106 contributions, ensuring developers fund the infrastructure our growing borough needs.
Our enforcement teams have also delivered strong returns: tougher action on fly‑tipping led to 2,500 fines issued in just 6 months, while proceeds‑of‑crime orders have recovered hundreds of thousands of pounds from offenders.
Our ruthless focus on controlling our spending has allowed us to maintain one of the most generous council tax support schemes in the country. This scheme supports older people and those unable to pay council tax.
We know times are tough and that’s why we are on your side, delivering all kinds of excellent council services while keeping council tax as low as possible.
